The Wrong Side of Heaven
by Skye Coulson
Summary: [WARNINGS: Rape. MPreg.] Loki sets his sights on Skye as the future mother of his heir which would force Odin to allow him to remain on Earth. However, Phil cannot allow this, so, he offers himself up in Skye's place. Please read & review! Rated M for mentions of rape and sexual abuse.
1. You Better Back the Fuck Up

**The Wrong Side of Heaven**

**Disclaimer:  
><strong>As always, I own nothing...

**Rating:  
><strong>M (for sexual assault/abuse)

**Genre:  
><strong>Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing:  
><strong>Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Five Finger Death Punch "Wrong Side of Heaven"

* * *

><p><span>You Better Back the Fuck Up<span>

* * *

><p><em>I've been thrown down, run around | Beaten til I hit the ground | Telling you, right now, that it's over<em>

_There's no room for mistakes | All the cards are in place | Say what you will, but, say it to my face_

_Better back the fuck up | Better shut the fuck up | I'll do what I want and, I'll never give up_

* * *

><p>"How bad is it?" Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury, asked of one of his top ranked senior agents, Agent Phil Coulson. After the battle of New York, he hadn't had as many run-ins with the agent simply because of appearances. Most of the agency still believed Phil Coulson to be dead. But, this time, the interaction could not be avoided.<p>

"That's the problem, sir." Coulson explained, concern evident in his voice. "We don't know." All they really did know, for certain, was that Loki had returned. That was enough to cause Phil's hair to stand on end. He had hoped that he wouldn't have to deal with the psychotic demi god anymore after New York. But, now, it appeared that he was targeting Phil's new team, specifically. One member, in particular. A certain young hacktivist who had unknowingly stolen Phil's heart. Also, the woman standing at his side in Fury's office. "All that we know for certain is that Loki appears to have resurfaced and appears to be targeting Skye, specifically."

"Any ideas why?" Fury asked, gruffly. After Thor had taken his adopted brother back to Asgard, the director had hoped that he wouldn't have to worry about him, again. But, he really should have known, by now, that the Director of an agency like the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division could never get so lucky.

"All I know is what he told me..." Skye offered, meekly, scared to death when the Director's single-eyed gaze zeroed in on her. "He just said that I would provide him a fine heir..." She explained, with an involuntary shudder. "And, that an heir would force Odin to let him stay here, on Earth."

"So, it's just an elaborate escape plan?" Fury summarized, to himself. "Shoulda knew he'd pull some weird-ass shit like this..." He mumbled, under his breath. "I'll get a safe-house vetted. We'll organize a protective detail..."

"Sir, with all due respect, I think it'd be best to keep her on the bus with the rest of the team." Phil offered. He wasn't comfortable entrusting Skye's safety to random, faceless S.H.I.E.L.D. agents that didn't know her-didn't have a personal investment in her the way the did. "Ward, May, and I can keep an eye on her. We can protect her, there."

"Seems reasonable." Fury admitted, eying Phil curiously. It wasn't like the senior agent to argue with him. Then, again, he did a lot of things that he wouldn't normally do when Skye was involved. "Skye, you have the final say. It's up to you. Where do you feel safest?"

Skye glanced between Coulson and Fury and back, anxiously. She hated it when all eyes were on her. Ultimately, though, she knew she would never feel safer than she did with her AC. "I have to agree with Agent Coulson." She replied, nervously. She wasn't insecure in her decision. Just in the reactions Fury and/or Coulson would have to it. "I trust in the team's abilities to keep me safe."

"That settles it, then." Fury replied, finally. "Skye, you'll remain on the plane under the supervision of your teammates." Skye really hated the word 'supervision'. In the past, it had always held negative connotations for her. But, now was hardly the time to quibble over terminology. She got to stay with her AC, and that was all that mattered to her.

* * *

><p>"What'd Fury have to say?" Ward asked, curiously, as Skye and Coulson returned to the bus.<p>

"Well, looks like you're all stuck with me..." Skye quipped, trying to cover her fears and concerns with sarcasm, as she always did. Glancing back to the senior agent, the rest of the team waited for his input.

"Skye will remain here, on the plane, under our protection until such a time as Loki can be secured once, again." Phil elaborated, for the rest of his team. Truthfully, they would all feel much better once Loki was out of their hair, once and for all.

"Yes, because he was so well _secured _the last time." May interjected, snidely, recalling Phil's last run-in with the psychotic god and how he was now on the loose, once again.

"Believe me..." Phil replied, tersely. "Nobody understands your concerns more than I do, Agent May-" Nothing more could be said as an alarm began to sound through the plane.

"What the hell's goin' on?!" Ward demanded, while May immediately checked the plane's computer systems in search of the anamoly.

"Somebody's opened the cargo hatch." May replied, stoically.

"Who could've possibly done that?!" Jemma wondered.

"Yeah, we're all here..." Fitz reasoned.

Before anybody could say or do anything else, Phil heard a voice he would have very much liked to live the rest of his life without ever hearing, again. "Did you miss me, Agent Coulson?"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<br>**Okay, I know this chapter was kinda short. But, I really just wanted to set the stage, in the first chapter. I promise more action in the next chapter! I hope you'll continue to follow the story! And, don't forget to review!

~Skye Coulson


	2. Seven Devils

**The Wrong Side of Heaven**

**Disclaimer:  
><strong>As always, I own nothing.

**Rating:  
><strong>M (for mentions of rape)

**Genre:  
><strong>Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing:  
><strong>Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Florence & the Machine "Seven Devils"

* * *

><p><span>Seven Devils<span>

* * *

><p><em>Holy water cannot help you now | Thousand armies couldn't keep me out | I don't want your money | I don't want your crown | See I've come to burn your kingdom down<em>

_Holy water cannot help you now | See, I've come to burn your kingdom down | And, no rivers and no lakes can put the fire out | I'm gonna raise the stakes, I'm gonna smoke you out_

_Seven devils all around me | Seven devils in my house | See, they were there when I woke up, this morning | I'll be dead before the day is done_

_Seven devils all around you | Seven devils in your house | See, I was dead when I woke up this morning | I'll be dead before the day is done | Before the day is done_

_And, now, all your love will be exorcised | And, we will find you saints to be canonized | And, it's an even song | It's a melody | It's a battle cry | It's a symphony_

* * *

><p>"Step away from the woman, and nobody gets hurt!" Phil warned, harshly, aiming his gun directly at Loki's temple. He wasn't sure <em>why <em>he did it. He knew the weapon would have little to no effect on the psychotic Norse god. But, he couldn't just sit idly by while the god stole his beloved hacker away from him.

"And, here I thought we'd moved _past _worthless weapons and empty threats, Agent Coulson..." Loki taunted, pulling Skye in front of him, against her struggles to escape his grasp. "So feisty..." He purred in a voice meant to seduce the young woman but only made her want to vomit. "I love a woman that can put up a fight..." He taunted as the hacker tried-in vain-to flip him. "Oh, yessss..." The god purred. "Such a strong woman will produce a _fine _heir, in deed..."

Ward had seen enough and attempted to attack Loki from behind, only to be thrown against the wall hard enough to be rendered unconscious. "Ward!" Jemma whimpered, rushing to the specialist's aid while Leo moved between Jemma and Loki in his own feeble attempt to protect the bio-chemist and her patient.

Agent May was next, extracting a knife from the side of her boot before throwing it at the god's chest, only to dodge the very same weapon on it's return trip. She hadn't been quite quick enough, however, as the blade gashed her arm wide open. Hissing in pain, she reached for the nearest piece of cloth to hold over the wound before Leo wrenched himself away from Simmons and Ward to tend to the pilot.

With the rest of Phil's team otherwise occupied, Loki turned with Skye in his grasp to make his exit before Phil dove for the Hail-Mary pass. "Take me!" He blurted out, causing Loki to pause and turn to face him.

"What was that?" Loki asked, with a disbelieving smirk spreading across his face.

"Leave her." Phil ordered, weakly. "Leave her and you can have me in her place." He elaborated. He knew all too well what Loki meant to do with his beloved hacker and Phil Coulson would be damned if he allowed the woman he loved to fall into the hands of the man that had killed him. And, he sure as _hell _couldn't allow said man to rape her. Even if that meant suffering that torture, himself, he would do it for Skye.

"No, Phil!" Skye begged, shakily. Little did she know, as much as Phil was willing to sacrifice-to endure-to protect her, she was just as willing to do the very same thing to protect him. "No, please, Phil...I'll be fine...It'll be okay..."

Watching the exchange, Loki suddenly realized just what was happening. _He's in love with her..._Oh, that was even more than he'd **hoped **for. "Well...well...well..." He taunted, releasing Skye to approach Phil. "You have heart, Agent Coulson..." He added. "You'll make just as fine an heir..."

"Leave him alone!" Skye demanded. "You already **have **_me_!" She insisted. "Just _please_...Please...Just...Just take **_me_**!" She begged, tears pricking her eyes. She couldn't believe she was begging and pleading to be kidnapped-and, ultimately, raped. But, Skye would gladly put herself through all that and more just to protect the man she secretly loved.

"It'll be okay…" Phil replied, staring straight into his hacktivist's eyes. He'd already made his peace with his decision. He just hated seeing Skye's reaction to it.

"He's made his bed." Loki taunted, before taking Phil into his arms, staring straight through his eyes and into his very soul. "Now, he gets to lie in it…" The psychotic god purred, causing Phil to become nauseous.

"NO!" Skye screamed, lunging for her AC only to have him and the god holding him disappear into thin air, sending her crashing to floor on her stomach. "DAMN IT!" She shouted, slamming her fist against the floor.

Finally stirring from his position on the floor, Ward winced at the volume of Skye's voice, before rising to his feet and crossing the room to help her up as well. "We'll find him." He asserted, warmly. "We'll get him back…"

"Yeah, right…" Skye huffed, wrenching herself free of his grasp, storming off to her bunk to begin her search for the man that had unknowingly stolen her heart. "_I'll _find him's more like it…" She corrected, not even caring about the tone she was taking with her supervising officer. She had far bigger fish to fry, at the moment.

Aggravated by his subordinate's attitude, Ward began to storm off after her-to set her straight-before being halted by Melinda's hand on his chest. "Don't take it, personally." She spoke coming to the hacker's defense. They all knew how the hacker felt for their fearless leader. And, they also knew that his actions had put her in a terribly difficult position. The pilot understood that Skye had to be feeling indescribably guilty for bringing this upon Coulson. "Just let her do what she needs to do to get through this..."

Ultimately, Ward knew Melinda was right. This was not a simple situation for Skye. He wasn't an idiot. He knew how Skye and Coulson felt for one another-which, he knew, was why Coulson had done what he did. This wasn't easy on any of them. Tensions were bound to run a little high. "Still..." He grunted, reluctantly. "I need to go make sure she's okay...I don't want her personal attachments clouding her judgment." He elaborated before taking off toward the hacker's bunk.

Left alone with Fitzsimmons, Melinda took off toward the lab to stitch up the gash on her arm. Left alone, together, Jemma was the first to speak. "What d'you think he'll do to him?" She wondered, helplessly, desperately looking to Fitz for an answer that could make this all okay.

"Normally, this would be the part where I tell you I wish I knew..." Leo replied, looking over at Jemma with the same helpless look on his face. "But, this time, Simmons...I honestly don't _**want **_to know what that sick son of a bitch will do to Coulson..." He admitted, honestly. "I _really _don't want those pictures in my head..."

Understanding Leo's point, Jemma couldn't help agreeing with him. From what Skye had told them of the plans Loki'd originally had for _her_...Well, she didn't need two PHDs to figure out what would happen to Coulson, now that he'd taken the hacktivist's place in the god's capture. "I'd have to agree with you, on that one..." She conceded before sighing helplessly. "What do we do, now?"

As he looked over at her, Jemma saw a determination written in his blue eyes that she'd never known the science officer to possess. "Whatever it takes." The dark determination in Leo's voice both comforted and unsettled her at the same time.

* * *

><p>Knocking lightly on the door frame to Skye's bunk, Ward called out, gently. "Hey..." Of course he didn't take the lack of response personally as the hacker kept her eyes glued to her computer screen. Ward knew she was dedicated and driven-even more so, after her private conversation with Coulson at the academy. He just hoped she knew where to draw the line. After his greeting went unacknowledged, he carefully made his way inside the bunk to sit on the edge of the bed-opposite the hacker. "You okay?" He asked, gently, hoping to gain Skye's attention.<p>

"I'm fine." Skye replied, without a thought as she scanned her screen, processing the information before her. This was her thing. Analyzing computer data...hacking systems...cracking codes...all this, she could handle. And, at the moment, it was the only thing keeping her sane. She needed concrete data to focus on to keep her mind from wandering to images of what that bastard was doing to her AC at that moment.

"Are you sure?" Ward asked, pressing the matter ever-so-slightly further. While he knew he couldn't fully appreciate her position, he knew how stressful this whole mess was for the rest of the team. He could only imagine how much harder it had to be for Skye.

"Did you want something, Agent Ward?" Skye snapped, unintentionally, all the while never taking her eyes off the screen. She had to find Coulson and soon, before she completely lost it. This whole mess was her fault and, therefore, it was her responsibility to make it right and bring Coulson home, safe and sound. After everything he'd done for her, she owed it to him to be there for him when he needed her.

Shaking the hacktivist's attitude off, chalking it up to the stress of the current situation, Ward replied "You know none of this is your fault." He spoke, gently. "Right?"

Sighing in frustration, Skye finally looked up from her computer screen. "Loki originally wanted _me_." She replied, pointedly. "Coulson offered himself up, instead, to _protect _**me**." She added, running down the list of the reasons for her guilt. "**I **tried to stop Loki and failed. Loki disappeared-_with _Coulson, in tow-because **I **wasn't fast enough or strong enough or..._whatever _enough to stop him." She added. "_Tell _me how that is 'not my fault'." The young hacker challenged her supervising officer. "Coulson is in this mess because of me and, thanks to my complete incompetence, that sick and twisted fuck is currently doing...God only knows _**what**_ to him because of me!" She half-cried, before affording Ward the opportunity to respond to her challenge.

"You did everything you could." Ward assured her, gently, staring straight into her eyes to drive his point home. "None of us-not even May or myself-were any match for a _god _for Christ's sake." He added. "You're only human, Skye. That is no fault of your own. You're not gonna be any good to anyone if you keep beating yourself up, like this." He explained, hoping to help the hacker clear up her head. "You need to let go of this self-loathing and concentrate and what you do best..."

"'Work outside the system'?" Skye quipped in a feeble attempt to lighten the mood with levity. "You want me to let May kick me off The Bus, again?" She added, trying her best to fake a smile.

Appreciating what she was trying to do, Grant released a small, breathy chuckle as he replied "Nothing quite so drastic..." Pausing for a moment, he finished with "Just finding Coulson." Nodding toward her, Grant spoke sincerely. "There is only one person on this plane capable of finding Agent Coulson..." The specialist began, smirking as he paraphrased Coulson's mini-speech from their investigation into the Chitauri virus. "And, I know he'd be willing to bet his life that she will..."

Skye couldn't help smiling at the sentiment behind Ward's words. "Well, I've already gotten a start on it..." She began. "I've hacked into the system...Anything with any type of camera-laptops, camera-phones, traffic cams, security cameras, you name it-is eyes and ears for us..." She explained. "But, right now, it's a needle in a haystack..." She conceded, defeatedly. "Without knowing _where _that bastard took Coulson to...I have **no **idea where to even _begin _looking, let alone, how long it's gonna take to actually **find **him..."

Rising from his position on the edge of the bed, Ward stepped over to where Skye was sat at the head of the bed and rested a hand on her shoulder. "I've seen, first hand, what you can do _without _S.H.I.E.L.D. resources..." He offered, proudly. "There's not a doubt in my mind that you **will **find him..." After Skye offered him a small, grateful smile, Ward knew _his _work was done. But, he also knew that Skye worked best alone-allowed to focus on the task at hand with minimal distractions. "If you need anything, you know where to find me." He added, gently, before taking his leave.

Watching her S.O. leave her bunk, Skye felt a renewed sense of self-confidence. No, she wasn't stupid. She knew it was still going to be extremely difficult, finding Coulson, without any leads as to where Loki would have taken him. But, with Ward's words ringing through her mind, she felt confident that she could do it. "I just hope that sick, twisted, fuck didn't take AC off to some freaky other dimension..." She spoke, softly, to the empty room as she continued her world-wide search. As long as Phil Coulson was still on planet Earth, Skye knew she would find him.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<br>**I hope y'all enjoyed this little offering. I know some of you were wondering when I would update this story. And, honestly, I had been meaning to for the longest time. But, I kept getting distracted with stupid plotbunnies driving me crazy with ideas for other stories. I apologize for keepin' y'all waiting. I just hope this chapter was worth the wait. Next chapter, we start delving into Coulson's captivity and subsequent rape and torture. And, trust me...Loki's got some fucked up plans in store for Coulson...

~ Skye Coulson

* * *

><p>Heads up, everyone! Skye, here. I hacked the author's computer and let me tell ya. She's not kidding when she says Loki's got some fucked up tricks up his sleeve. I just hope I can help AC get back to normal-or at least whatever 'normal' is after what <strong>he's <strong>about to go through...Anyway, you **won't **wanna miss chapter 3...

Skye


	3. No Light In Your Bright Blue Eyes

**The Wrong Side of Heaven**

**Disclaimer:  
><strong>Y'all know the drill by now...

**Rating:  
><strong>M (for mentions of rape and sexual abuse)

**Genre:  
><strong>Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing:  
><strong>Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Florence + the Machine "No Light, No Light"

* * *

><p><span>No Light In Your Bright Blue Eyes<span>

* * *

><p><em>No light, no light, in your bright blue eyes | I never knew daylight could be so violent | A revelation in the light of day | You can't choose what stays and what fades away<em>

* * *

><p>72 Hours Later<p>

* * *

><p>From the moment he'd arrived in his cell, Phil Coulson had felt...Well, 'different' was really the only word he could come up with for it. As soon as they'd arrived, he'd felt Loki jab something into his back and, almost immediately, he could almost literally feel his entire body chemistry changing. The sensation had lasted for hours. However, Loki had already...had his way with the agent numerous times over. Phil had stopped counting at ten when it just became too utterly sickening to even think about. At first, he'd just done it as himself. But, now, he'd taken to 'roleplaying' as he'd called it. First it was Jemma. Phil remembered that time all too vividly.<p>

_Phil had finally managed to fall asleep in his cell for a couple of hours when his eyes snapped open when he heard the door creak open oh-so-slowly. Foolishly, he'd allowed his sleep-deprived brain allow him to hope that his team had found him. That he was finally going home. "Agent Coulson..." The young woman called out, timidly, through her British accent. It sounded so familiar. So much like the bio-chemist he knew._

_ "Jemma..." Phil called out, softly, voice full of hope, as he rose to a seated position on his cot to reach out to the bio-chemist._

_ "Oh, thank goodness I've found you..." Jemma replied, seemingly relieved as she all but dragged Phil to his feet, throwing her arms around his neck._

_ "God..." Phil breathed, shakily, clinging desperately to the young woman in his arms. "You've no idea how great it is to see you..."_

_ However, the senior agent managed to miss the evil smirk playing across the woman's face over his shoulder. "Close your eyes..." She instructed, softly._

_ Pulling away from the bio-chemist, Phil searched her eyes as he replied "What?!"_

_ "I've brought you a little something..." Jemma replied, in an uncharacteristically cryptic manner. Something was wrong, here, and Phil wouldn't rest until he figured out what. "And, I want it to be a surprise, so, close your eyes..."_

_ "I do-I don't..." Phil stammered, lost, before the woman before him silenced him by pressing her index finger, gently, to his lips. Something in Phil's mind shut down as he submissively followed her orders, his eyes sliding closed, almost of their own accord. The next thing he knew, he was being lowered down, back onto his cot._

_ "Keep your eyes closed..." The voice that spoke those four words was very obviously _not _Jemma Simmons. Phil tried to fight Loki off of him only to be over-powered as Loki rolled him over onto his stomach. "I thought this form might loosen you up a little..." He elaborated. "I'd hoped it would made things more enjoyable for you..."_

_ It was all Phil could do to resist the urge to vomit as Loki ripped the clothes from his body, running his tongue along the entire length of his spine, before pausing to nip at his earlobes while he expertly stripped himself, as well. As the god began sucking, roughly, at the agent's neck, Phil soon screamed out in pain as Loki shoved himself inside of him, roughly, with no warning nor time to adjust._

_ "I see my plan is working..." The psychotic god purred, as he continued thrusting, harshly, in and out of the the agent beneath him. "I shall have to make a note to make you scream for me more often..." As the god continued biting and sucking and thrusting, Phil mentally beat himself down for allowing himself to believe that his team had come for him. _How _could _they? _He asked himself. _They don't even know where I am?_ He chided himself as the tears streamed, freely down his cheeks as he shoved his face into his pillow, praying for death to claim him once more. At this point, even death looked rather welcoming compared to the idea of dealing with any more of this torture._

* * *

><p>"Hey!" Skye cried out, in shock, as her friend and teammate, Jemma Simmons, suddenly yanked her laptop away from her. "What do you think you're doing?!" She demanded. It had been seventy-two hours since the man she loved had been taken and she was still no closer to finding him. She hadn't slept since she'd begun her search and the effects were obvious. Obvious to everyone except for her. "I need that to find Coulson!"<p>

"Skye, it's been seventy-two hours since Agent Coulson was taken." Jemma replied, pointedly. "And, you've not slept a wink since then." She added, before passing the laptop off to Ward. "Take this down to the lab and connect it to the main screens." She turned to the specialist, explaining her expectations of him as he nodded curtly before taking his leave.

"HEY!" Skye shouted, jumping to her feet to go after her supervising officer, only to find herself restrained by Fitzsimmons.

"I'm sorry, Skye..." Jemma replied, apologetically, as the hacker glared at her, angrily. "I hate forcing my hand-you _know _I do..." She added, sympathetically. "But, this is one of the few times I have to." Seeing the rebuttal on the tip of the hacker's tongue, she headed her off at the pass. "It's for your own good!" The bio-chemist interjected. "You won't be any good to Agent Coulson if you don't take care of yourself! Even if you _do _find him...How d'you propose to rescue him in this sleep-deprived state?!" She asked, quirking an eyebrow, as she dared the hacker to answer her question.

Sighing heavily, Skye knew Jemma was right. She did need to sleep if she was ever gonna be of any use in getting her AC back. "I know..." She conceded. "But, you don't understand...It's not like I don't _want _to sleep. I'd love nothing more than to pass out and escape to another world where I can pretend none of this shit ever happened and that everything's just fine!" She added, defensively. "But, it's not that simple. I've _tried _to get some sleep. But, every time I close my eyes, all I see is Coulson and all the fucked up shit that son of a bitch is doing to him!"

"Believe me, we've all got the same problem..." Jemma replied, warmly. "We all sympathize...We're all just as worried about Coulson as you are..." _Doubtful..._ Skye thought to herself, petulantly, as the bio-chemist continued on. "That's why I've brought you this..." She replied, passing the hacker a small vial filled with a clear liquid.

"What the hell is this?" Skye asked, curiously, as she took the vial from Jemma.

"It's a modified version of the toxin in the Night-Night pistols." Jemma explained. "Simply put, we diluted the strength of the toxin to where it simply lulls you to sleep. We've also added a new component which will allow you to sleep without dreams or nightmares."

"So, basically, you made a real-life version of the 'dreamless sleep draft' from _Harry Potter_?" Skye asked, snidely.

"Exactly!" Jemma replied, excitedly, only to have the hacker roll her eyes, disbelievingly. "Oh, come on..." She urged, hoping Skye would listen to reason. "Just try it." She added, before resorting to her own Hail-Mary pass. "For me?" She begged, knowing the hacker could never deny her anything.

"Fine..." Skye replied, reluctantly. Mostly due to the severe lack of sleep and the fact that she could never say 'no' to the bio-chemist when she begged. "Whaddo I got to lose?" She asked, sarcastically.

"That's the spirit!" Jemma replied, far to happily for Skye's taste. "Whenever you're ready to go to sleep, just throw the whole vial back like a shot!" She explained, excited to see how their new concoction fared. "It should kick in rather quickly..." She added. "And, don't worry about Coulson. Agents Fitz, Ward, May and I will be monitoring the data in shifts. There will**always **be someone watching it at all times and we'll come and wake you if we find anything." Jemma paused to give her friend a supportive hug before turning to take her leave. "Pleasant dreams." She added, gently, turning off the light.

* * *

><p>After the 'Jemma Incident', the next time Phil watched the door to his cell open, it was Agent Fitz walking in. Even after the last time, Phil watched one of his own team members walk in, he was still desperate to believe that this time would be different. This time, his rescue would be real. Sadly...He was wrong, once again.<p>

_"Agent Coulson!" The science officer greeted, rushing to his boss's side. "Thank God, you're okay..." He added._

_ "Leo?" Phil asked, carefully. He desperately wanted to believe that he was going to be rescued. That the engineer was really standing there, before him. "Is it really you?" He asked, shakily, reaching out to the younger man._

_ "Of course, it is..." Leo replied, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. For just a fraction of a moment, Phil almost breathed a sigh of relief. Almost. What happened next, shattered the near-perfect illusion as 'Leo' swiftly pulled Phil flush against him, crashing their lips together. As his mouth was forcibly pried open, Phil soon recognized the all-too-familiar taste of Loki's tongue in his mouth. With the sudden realization came tears pricking the senior agent's eyes, flowing freely down his face. "What's the matter, Agent Coulson?" The demi-god purred, moving suck almost violently at the agent's jugular. "You didn't like my last costume..." He added, biting the agent's earlobe, roughly. "Is this one not more...satisfactory?"_

_ Phil remained silent as Loki shoved him down on the cot, face-first, as the all-too-familiar sound of clothing tearing struck his ears. Once again, the agent buried his face into the pillow as he silently cried out all of his pain and despair as the demi-god wasted no time before pounding into his entrance. Every thrust burned like acid, but, the worst sensation of all was the way Phil's own body betrayed him as he came every. damn. time. Right on cue. "That's it, Agent Coulson..." Loki purred in his ear. "Cum for me..."_

* * *

><p>Laying back in her bunk, Skye studied the vial in her hands. On some level, she couldn't escape the feeling that she was letting AC down, by not being there to watch the computer's searches, herself. Intellectually, of course she knew she was being ridiculous. <em>A watched pot never boils...<em>That saying never rang more true, for her, than it did right now. And, she knew Jemma had been right. She really did need to get some sleep. Sighing heavily, the hacker decided to just go for it as she uncorked the vial. _Cheers!_ She thought to herself, sarcastically, as she threw the entire contents of the vial back-just as Jemma had told her to do.

Admittedly, the bio-chemist had been right. Almost immediately, she began to feel increasingly drowsy-struggling with everything she had, just to keep her eyes open long enough to replace the empty vial back on her nightstand. Settling into her bed, Skye was asleep within minutes. At first, everything was just black. Just as Jemma had promised. Sleep without the fear of nightmares plaguing her. Skye nearly danced for joy until her perfect escape had been stolen from her. Suddenly, the blackness disappeared, only to be replaced by an image that shattered her very being.

_It was Coulson. He was lying face-down on a meager-looking cot, naked from head-to-toe. However, the hacker had no chance to appreciate his physique as she felt herself trapped-helpless to come to his aid-while the psychotic god who had originally set his sights on her, pounded violently into his backside. Frustrated tears flowed, freely, down her cheeks as she fought against her invisible restraints. However, she soon froze-her movements halting-as she watched Coulson turn his head to look at her. As their eyes met, Skye saw a cold, dark, expression written in his piercing blue eyes. And, when he spoke, his voice was cold and heartless. "This is all your fault, you know..." He taunted, preying on her weak and vulnerable moment. "After all I've done for you...helping you find the truth about your parents...defending you when all others doubted you...this is how you repay me?" The dark sneer in his voice while taunted her shattered her heart from the inside out. "This never would have happened if you could have kept your nose out of places it didn't belong. Snooping around in secrets you had no business knowing...digging up dirt for The Rising Tide...If you had just stayed off of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar, I wouldn't be here...with a psychotic Norse god-the very same god who has already killed me once-fucking my brains out...raping me...pounding me into this pathetic excuse of a mattress..."_

_ "No!" Skye cried out, shakily. "No, that's not true!" She argued, weakly, voice thick and watery. "I tried to fight for you! I tried to save you..." She cried, struggling helplessly to save the man that she loved._

_ "I thought you loved me..." Phil's voice had changed from cold and heartless to weak and vulnerable. "I love you, Skye..." He added, weakly. "And, I thought you loved me, too...That's why I stuck up for you all those times the rest of the team doubted you..." The senior agent's voice cut through the hacker like a knife. Her tears fell like rain as she continued fighting desperately to free herself._

_ "I _do _love you!" She cried, desperately. "I _do _love you, Phil!"_

_ "Then, why?" Phil begged, quietly, as his voice cracked and broke. "Why would you let him do this to me?" He pleaded with her._

"No..." Skye cried, quietly, her voice cracking and breaking. "No...I didn't...I wouldn't..." She whimpered, helplessly, jerking in her sleep as she continued fighting against the imagined restraints. Finally, she woke with a start as Ward gently shook her shoulder. Said specialist jumped backward a step as she jerked herself into a sitting position, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. "What happened?" She asked, her eyes frantically scanning her surroundings.

"You were having a nightmare." Ward replied, simply. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Looks like Jemma was wrong about her little potion..." Skye mumbled, more to herself than anyone else. "And, not really." She added, looking up at her supervising officer. "What are you doing here, anyway?" She asked, curiously. "Is there an update on Coulson?"

"Not yet." Ward replied, regretfully, as he carefully sat next to her on the edge of the bed. "I heard you talking in your sleep and came in to check on you." After a slightly awkward silence stretched between them, Ward was the one to break it. "So...you wanna talk?"

Sighing heavily, Skye knew it would do no good to keep it all bottled up, inside. "It was about Coulson..." She began, as she recounted the events of her nightmare.

* * *

><p><em>The third time one of his team members, Phil was not as hopeful as he watched Melinda strut into his cell. "How about this, Phil?" The voice was Melinda. But, Phil knew it was all too good to be true.<em>

_ "Does it even matter?" He asked, snidely. "Whatever I say won't make a difference. No matter what I tell you, you're just gonna rape me, anyway..." He added. His voice reflected the resignation he felt deep within his soul._

_ "Oh, don't be that way..." 'Melinda' purred, strutting right up in front of Phil, resting a hand over the scars on his chest. "We both know that pleasure from both parties will increase the odds of conception..." She purred as she ran her tongue along his jawline before nipping his earlobe. "So...Does this costume please you, Agent Coulson?"_

_ Coulson remained silent as his captor threw him on the bed before repeating his ritualistic behavior. At this point, Phil's tears actually surprised him. He didn't think he had any left to cry. But, once again, his face was shoved into a damp pillow as his captor continued having his way with him. The feeling of Loki's member penetrating him over and over, with no lubrication or protection burned like fire. But, it was the only thing Phil could fixate on. Before, he'd tried to focus on Skye, knowing that she was safe because of everything he endured, in this hell. But, now...Now, he'd been through so much he could hardly picture her, anymore. Could barely remember the sound of her voice. Soon, he would have nothing left._

* * *

><p>"I feel horrible for her..." Jemma observed, recalling her interactions with their beloved hacker. "She's been through so much already. Before she even knew S.H.I.E.L.D. was part of her life. Before us..." She began, helplessly. "Now, this...Just how much is one person supposed to take?"<p>

"Try again." Ward snapped, entering the lab, before slamming the empty vial on the lab table. Whirling around to face the specialist, Fitzsimmons were both stunned by the anger in his eyes.

"B-beg your pardon?" Fitz asked, carefully, confused by Ward's words.

"Your little serum seems to have one rather serious flaw." Grant snapped, angrily.

"Wh-what d'you mean?" Jemma asked, anxiously, fidgeting under the specialist's intense gaze.

"I was walking by Skye's bunk when I heard her talking in her sleep." Ward spoke, pointedly, recalling the nightmare the hacker had reported to him. "Had one hell of a nightmare." He added, before his voice took on a dark, sarcastic note. "Now...I know I'm no science officer-I am just a lowly operations graduate, after all..." He sneered. "But, I would have _sworn _you said the serum would _spare _her from the nightmares." He added, before getting right in Jemma's face. "Not _cause _her to have a nightmare of Coulson being raped while blaming the whole shitstorm on _her_..." He barked.

"Bloody hell..." Fitz muttered, opening a second screen to analyze the formula for the Night-Night serum. "One of the calculations must have been off."

Stepping away from the visibly shaken bio-chemist, Ward glared at both of them as he barked "I don't care _what _went wrong. Fix. This." And, with that, he turned and made a swift exit.

* * *

><p><em>The fourth time one of his operatives entered his cell, Phil didn't even bother acknowledging them. "Oh, come now, Agent Coulson..." Phil fought with everything he had to resist the urge to vomit as he heard the voice of Special Agent Grant Ward approaching him. "I've been trying so hard to please you, after all..." 'Ward' purred, lowering himself down atop the agent.<em>

_ "Just get this over-with." Phil muttered, defeatedly. He was too tired and broken down to even put up a fight as Loki ripped the clothes from his body. It had been forty-eight hours since he'd been abducted. His resolve was waning. He still _wanted _to believe that he'd be rescued. But, after being beaten-down so repeatedly. It was hard to keep hope alive when the man that had already murdered you, once, pounded you into a thin, flimsy mattress over and over again._

_ Once again, right on cue, Phil felt the all-too-familiar burning sensation in the pit of his belly as 'Ward' purred "That's right...Cum for daddy..." right as he came into his rapist's hand. Once the god had finished, he rose from the bed and crossed the cell to the doorway before pausing to turn back to the agent curled into the fetal position on the bed, turned away from him and facing the wall, as he spoke. "Until next time, Phil..." 'Ward' purred, before leaving the cell, leaving Phil alone to cry out all of the pain and anguish he'd held in for far too long._

* * *

><p>"Skye?" Jemma called out softly, watching the hacker staring blankly out of the window in her bunk. Anyone with a heart would feel sorry for the young woman. It would be virtually impossible <em>not <em>to sympathize with her. When her greeting went unacknowledged, Jemma carefully edged her way into the room. But, before she could speak again, the hacker finally spoke, never taking her eyes off the window.

"Your serum didn't work." The dead monotone in the hacker's voice chilled the bio-chemist to the very core. "You said it would keep the nightmares away." She deadpanned, still staring blankly out the window. "You lied."

The last two words cut through the bio-chemist like a knife. But, she shook it off the best she could knowing that it was just a manifestation of stress and sleep deprivation. "I'm so sorry..." She apologized, shakily. "I honestly thought it would work..." She added, helplessly, as she carefully lowered herself onto the edge of the bed, next to Skye. "Agent Ward told us you had a nightmare. He didn't go into any details...But, from the level of his anger, I gathered it must have been rather traumatic."

Finally, Skye wrenched her stare away from the window as she snapped her head to the side to look at Jemma. "I saw it." She spoke with the same dead voice from before. "I saw that fucking bastard pounding Coulson into a pathetic excuse of a mattress while Coulson stared straight into my eyes the whole fucking time." She added. Still, her voice held no emotion. The woman sitting on the bed with Jemma was just a shell of the hacker they all knew and loved. "He blamed _me _for the whole fucking thing." As she unwrapped the arms she'd folded around her knees, Skye moved over to sit mere inches in front of Jemma as she asked "Do you know what that _does _to a person?"

"Skye...I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am..." Jemma replied, taking the hacker's hands in her own. "But, Leo and I are working around the clock to correct the flaw in the Night-Night serum."

Wrenching her hands free of the bio-chemist's grasp, Skye leapt to her feet. "I don't _want _your stupid serum!" She snapped. Well, at least her voice had emotion, now. "I just want to find Coulson. I will sleep like a damn baby when I know he's back here. With us. Safe. _Then_, I will sleep!"

* * *

><p><em>The fifth time one of his operatives entered his cell was the absolute worst of them all. "All right, AC..." Snapping his head up at the sound of his beloved hacker's voice. "I've tried everything else...Agent Simmons...Agent Fitz...Agent May...Special Agent Ward..." 'Skye' began, almost taunting him. "I really, truly, didn't want to destroy your memory of...well, me..." She began, dropping her voice to a husky, bedroom, tone.<em>

_ "No..." Phil whimpered, weakly. He could live with Loki using the forms of all of his other teammates to rape him. But, not her. Not Skye. He had so precious little of his beloved hacker left. He didn't know what he'd do if that was taken from him as well._

_ This time was different. Instead of just throwing him onto the bed, 'Skye' sashayed up to him-slowly unbuttoning her shirt as she did so. Once she stood directly in front of him, she slipped the top off of her body, allowing it to drop, seductively, to the floor and leaving her standing before him clad in a lacy white tank top and jeans. "Give in, Phil..." She whispered, seductively, into his ear as she guided his hands up and underneath her shirt. Before he registered what was happening, Phil found himself slowly pulling the shirt up and off of his hacker, leaving her clad in her black, lacy bra. Dropping the tank top to the floor, Phil suddenly realized that 'Skye' was oh-so-slowly slipping his shirt up and off of his body._

_ With his chest bared to her eyes, Phil suddenly felt absurdly self-conscious about his scars. But, suddenly, they didn't seem to matter as she traced her fingers over them, the tips of her fingers ghosting almost reverently over the scars. The intimate touch set every nerve ending in Phil Coulson's body on fire. In that moment, he'd forgotten all about his capture, the numerous rapes...all of it. And, before he knew it, he and Skye were kissing. The taste of Loki's tongue was gone. All he tasted was 'Skye'. Eyes slipping closed, Phil lost himself in the moment as the clasp of Skye's bra gave way under his fingertips. With her breasts exposed to his view, Phil dipped his head to nip and suckle the nipples._

_ Phil was so lost in the moment, the feeling of making love to his beloved hacker, that he never heard Loki's whispered "That's it...Just enjoy the moment, Agent Coulson."_

_ Phil's hands moved to undo the leather belt around 'Skye's' waist. Unbuttoning the jeans on her legs, he smiled against her lips as she slipped out of them before reaching her own hands down to the waist of his own pants, swiftly unbuttoning them before he expertly stepped out of them before maneuvering her over to the bed where he lowered himself down atop her. Trailing kisses down her jawline, Phil gently suckled at her neck before nipping at her earlobe. Just as he'd slipped both of them out of their underwear, leaving them both completely naked, and ground their hips together-loving the friction, Phil found their positions suddenly reversed._

_ Snapping his eyes open, Phil saw something inhumanly feral in 'Skye's' beautiful doe eyes. "Shhh..." She cooed, gently. "Just lie back and relax and enjoy the ride, Agent Coulson." 'Skye' added, almost tauntingly, as Phil clamped his eyes shut, trapping tears of betrayal behind their lids. _I should have known..._He told himself. He should have known that Loki would use his own hacker against him. "Look at me..." 'Skye' ordered, forcing Phil to open his eyes and stare directly into hers as her nether region changed, vastly, before Phil felt the feeling of himself being penetrated by Loki's member. The burning sensation threatened to tear him apart from the inside out as the tears streamed freely down his face._

_ "Look at me when you're cumming for me..." 'Skye' hissed as Phil felt his own body betraying him as he came, cum spreading in between his own chest 'Skye's'. "That's right..." She hissed as finally released her own seed deep within the senior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent before sliding off of him and off of the cot. Clamping his eyes shut, Phil turned away from his captor as she dressed and paused at the door way. "I do believe that was the one to go on..." She taunted. "I do believe our fates will be forever sealed with this..." She finished before leaving Phil alone to curl into a tight ball._

_ The agent howled in anguish as choking sobs wracked his entire body. For only the second time in his life...Someone had managed to break Phil Coulson. After his resurrection, Phil believed nothing else could ever possibly break him, again. But, he should have known he could count on Loki to prove him dead wrong. Phil Coulson could handle a lot of shit. But, being raped by his own beloved hacker was nowhere _near _that list. And to top it all off, the same feeling he'd had when Loki'd injected him upon his arrival here returned. Once again, Phil felt his entire body chemistry changing. _Please..._He begged to whatever deity was listening. _Please...Just let me die...

* * *

><p>"Hey...Skye?..." Leo Fitz greeted, hesitantly. He'd heard about Jemma's run-in with the hacker and wanted to make sure everything was okay between the members of the team. "D'you have a minute?"<p>

"Whaddo you want, Fitz?" Skye asked, turning away from the window. The same dead tone Jemma'd told him about was back and now it was reflected in her doe eyes. Eyes that had once held so much warmth and hope were completely lifeless. The hacker they all knew and loved was slowly disappearing.

"Jemma told me about what happened between you two..." Leo began, anxiously, as he carefully stepped inside the lion's den. "I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. I mean with everything that's happened...We can't afford to have the rest of the team fall apart..."

Sighing defeatedly, Skye knew Fitz was right. They needed to all be on the same page if they were ever gonna get AC back. "I know...And, I'm sorry..." She admittedly, apologetically. "I just...I'm so tired...and worn down...terrified for Coulson and whatever shit he's going through..." Sighing, she still couldn't shake her nightmare. "And, my nightmare sure as hell didn't help any of that." Mulling it all over in her mind, Skye added "I shouldn't have taken it all out on Jemma. You guys were just trying to help."

Leo was still haunted by the dead tone in Skye's voice. He just hoped they could find Coulson and fast before Skye lost any more of herself in this search. "It's all right..." He replied, forgivingly, as he enveloped the hacker in a hug as she silently cried out all of the stress and frustration and desperation of the last seventy-two hours into his shoulder. Rubbing her back, soothingly, he added "We're all worried." He cooed, gently. "But, we're **going **to find him." He swore, firmly. "If it's the last thing we ever do, we _will _find Coulson and bring him home..."

"Sorry to interrupt." Melinda May greeted, uncharacteristically quietly from the doorway. "Simmons got a lock on where Loki's keeping Coulson." She added, getting straight to the point. She never was good with emotionally charged situations. All she wanted to do was get to Coulson, kick some ass, and get back home.

Sniffling as she composed herself, Skye wiped her eyes before speaking. "Well, what're we waiting for?" She asked, desperately trying to add a little levity. Her friends and teammates were doing everything they could to get her back. She could try, too.

"Let's do it." Fitz replied, a renewed sense of commitment in his demeanor. On a more personal note, he was glad to see Skye at least trying to get back to herself. He knew getting Coulson back would go a hell of a long way toward that end. Shifting his gaze back and forth between the hacker and the pilot, he watched as they all nodded their agreements before they all made their way down to the lab.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<br>**There it is. I hope y'all liked this chapter. I was gonna try to get to bed, early, tonight-since I gotta work early, tomorrow. But, I just got into a zone writing this and couldn't stop. But, it's late. So, you'll have to wait for resolution. So sorry! And, did I lie when I said I had some fucked up shit in store for Coulson?! I don't know what possessed me to make Loki take on Skye's form to rape him. It just seemed like the perfect way for Loki to finally break Phil. Anyway...I'm goin' to bed, y'all! Hope y'all liked this chapter! Don't forget to drop me a review! I love reviews! They make me smile!

~Skye Coulson

* * *

><p>Hey, guys. Skye here. Can I just say...Thank <strong><em><span>GOD<span>_** we finally found Coulson! I was going out of my mind worrying about him! But, now, I gotta worry about what Coulson we're gonna bring back...Man, this writer's pure evil making 'me' rape Coulson like that! Anyway, stay tuned. I saw some previews on the author's computer...Things are about to change for our little extended family...

~Skye


	4. If I Didn't Have You

**The Wrong Side of Heaven**

**Disclaimer:  
><strong>Y'all know the drill, by now.

**Rating:  
><strong>M

**Genre:  
><strong>Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing:  
><strong>Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Thompson Square "If I Didn't Have You"

* * *

><p><span>This Life Would Kill Me If I Didn't Have You<span>

* * *

><p><em>Sometimes, it feels like | I'm gonna break | Sometimes, this world gives more than I can take | Sometimes, sunshine | Gets lost in the rain | And, it keeps pourin' down | It just keeps comin' down<em>

_This life would kill me if I didn't have you | I couldn't live without you, baby | I wouldn't want to | If you didn't love me so much | I'd never make it through | 'Cause this life would kill me | This life would kill me if I didn't have you_

_You are my heart | Every breath I breathe | I'm safe in your arms | You rescue me | When I''m weak, you're strong | If you were gone, I don't know where I'd be | You were made for me | (You were made for me)_

* * *

><p>"Where is he?!" Skye demanded as she, Fitz, and Ward entered the lab area.<p>

"We got a hit on a young woman's cellphone camera." Jemma explained, pulling up the footage she'd found. "The video was shot three days ago-the day Agent Coulson was taken-" She began to elaborate when a very frustrated hacker cut her off.

"And, we're just finding it **_now_**?!" Skye snapped, furious that it had taken them three days to find the video that would lead them to Coulson.

"Her phone was encrypted." Jemma explained, remaining calm under the hacker's intense scrutiny. "We couldn't get the video until she uploaded it to YouTube with a warning to everyone to be on the lookout for a creepy man with black hair in the area of Leon, Kansas."

"He kept Coulson in the country?" Skye questioned, puzzled why Loki wouldn't have gone to more trouble to hide Coulson from them.

"It's an extremely rural area." Ward interjected. Taking the puzzled looks he was surrounded by as a cue to elaborate, he added "My S.O. has a cousin that lives there." He explained, shrugging. "It's virtually all farmland with no neighbors around for miles. It's the perfect place to hide Coulson."

"No one to hear you scream..." Skye added, as an afterthought, shuddering as she recalled her nightmare.

"Exactly." Ward replied, causing the rest of the team to shudder ever-so-slightly.

"Anyway..." Jemma replied, somewhat awkwardly. "Once she uploaded the video to YouTube, we were able to track the signal, used facial recognition software to positively identify both Loki and Agent Coulson, and used geographical markings to locate the abandoned warehouse that Loki's keeping Agent Coulson hostage in."

"How did this girl know where Coulson would be?" Skye asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

"She stated, in the video's description, that she didn't have a good feeling about the guy she saw. So, she decided to follow him." Jemma replied, relaying everything she'd found to the rest of her team. "She got far enough to film Loki taking Agent Coulson into the building before getting spooked and making a run for it."

"Damn." Skye commented, impressed by the young woman's actions. "Sounds like she oughtta be on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s payroll."

"I've already programmed the coordinates into the navigation system." May interjected. "We'll have to land at McConnell Air Force Base-S.H.I.E.L.D. has a no-questions-asked policy with them. We'll have to drive from there." She added. "All tolled, we should be there within the hour." She added, stoically.

"Let's do it." Skye replied, determined to do whatever it took to get her AC back. Looking around the room as May left, she knew the rest of the team was just as motivated as she was.

* * *

><p>One Hour Later<p>

* * *

><p>Pulling up outside the abandoned warehouse featured in the YouTube video, Skye couldn't escape the creepy vibes it gave off. "Got creepy?" She asked, as she May and Ward exited the SUV. Before they approached the building, Ward stopped them.<p>

"If anybody gets into any trouble, Fitzsimmons made these." He explained, passing each of them a pistol bearing a vague resemblance to the Night-Night Pistols. "They said they're filled with an extremely deadly neuro-toxin. Should take Loki down in a matter of seconds."

Examining the pistol in her hands, Skye pondered the implications. "Sounds good to me." The voice which escaped her lips chilled every one of her teammates to the core as they took off on their mission to find their leader.

Upon entering the building, it didn't take them long to locate the psychotic god that had taken Coulson in the first place. "Well...well...well..." Loki taunted, pacing back and forth in front of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. "I was beginning to wonder when you'd all show up."

Drawing her weapon, Skye was in no mood to play. "Where's Coulson?!" She demanded, fiercely.

"Still so feisty, I see..." Loki taunted, advancing on Skye only to swiftly dodge two shots fired at him from May and Ward.

"Leave her the hell alone!" May barked.

"I believe this is the point where you Midgardians would say...'Make me'..." Loki taunted before all hell broke loose. Watching May flying backward into a concrete wall, Ward sprang into action, firing shot after shot at the god only have each and every single one before an inhumanly strong hand closed around his throat, shoving him up against the wall.

"I am so **over **this shit!" Skye spat, angrily, as she crept around to position herself behind the god before jumping onto his shoulders locking her grip around his neck. "This is for Phil, you sick, twisted, fuck..." She hissed in his ear before pressing the gun in her hand into his temple, pulling the trigger until she'd emptied the vial, turning the god's skin the deepest shade of navy blue any of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had ever seen before dropping to the floor in a lifeless slump, causing Skye to come crashing down with him.

Slowly rising to his feet, Ward reached down to help Skye up. "You okay?" He grunted, heaving her to her feet.

"Search the entire place!" Skye barked, ignoring her bruised coccyx, as she brushed herself off. "FIND HIM!"

The rest of the team knew nothing more needed to be said as they all took off in separate directions. _Hang in there, AC..._Skye thought to herself as she set off in search of the man she loved. _I'm comin' for ya..._

* * *

><p>After everything that had happened, Phil's hope of rescue had begun to wane. He was trapped here in this god-forsaken hell in the middle of nowhere. And every time he <em>thought <em>he was being rescued, he'd only been beaten down and raped repeatedly. And, just when all seemed lost the door to his cell crashed open. But, Phil Coulson just didn't have it in him to care. He knew what was coming and had just silently accepted it.

"AC..." Skye breathed, shakily, laying her eyes on the form of Phil Coulson curled into a tight fetal position.

"No..." Phil whimpered, pathetically, as his beloved hacker raced to his side. "Not her...Please...Anyone else..." He begged, quietly. "Just...not her...not again..."

The desperate whimpers coming from her AC shattered everything the hacker had. Reaching out to him, she couldn't help feeling slightly hurt when he jerked away from the touch. Though, deep down, she knew it was just a by-product of everything he'd been through. She knew better than to take his response to her touch personally. Instead, she leaned over him to whisper to him gently. "It's okay, Phil..." She whispered, keeping her voice firm and warm enough to drive her sincerity home-to prove to him that it was really her and that there was no danger. "It's me...Skye..." She added, gently. "I'm here to take you home..."

As much as every instinct in his mind wanted to scream at him not to believe her, something in the voice that whispered so tenderly into his ear was different from the other Skye. The one that had raped him and broken him and violated him in ways that no human being should ever be violated. That difference gave him one last shred of hope which he clung to, desperately, as he shifted on his cot to look up into the soft doe eyes of the woman standing over him. The honest relief written within their depths made Phil wonder if she'd been telling the truth. _Could it really be her? _ He wondered, hopefully. _Could she really be here to save me from this hell? _"Skye?" He whimpered, shakily. "Is it..." He breathed, his breath and heart rate racing with hope as he rose from the cot, standing in front of the woman he loved, as he gingerly reached out to her, caressing her cheek. "Is it really you?"

Catching the hand on her cheek Skye smiled, reflexively at the contact. "Yeah..." She replied, eyes slipping closed as she savored the moment. "Yeah, it's me..." She replied, opening her eyes as she slowly and carefully drew him into her arms. "I'm here...You're safe, now..."

The moment Skye drew him into her arms, something changed for Phil. For the first time since he'd been taken, he felt safe. Protected. He finally felt as though nothing could ever touch him again. With this sudden realization, the senior agent dropped every last one of his defenses as he collapsed into the embrace, burying his face in the crook of her neck as he silently cried through everything that had been done to him over the last seventy-three hours.

The growing moist spot on her shirt didn't bother Skye in the slightest. She had succeeded. She finally had her AC back, in her arms, where he belonged. Where she could protect him. And, help him start to heal. Tightening her grip on the man that she loved, Skye whispered, gently while rubbing his back in what she hoped would be a soothing manner. "It's okay...That's it...Just let it go...Let it out..."

In the past, Phil had always hated feeling this vulnerable...This exposed. But, here...in the arms of his beloved hacker...somehow, it all seemed okay. He didn't care about how vulnerable he felt because he knew he could always count on her to be there to catch him if he fell. And, he knew he _would _fall...Just like he knew she would always catch him.

* * *

><p>"Come here..." Ward spoke in a hushed tone, waving May over to where he stood, unable to resist the small smile as he watched Skye and Coulson's reunion.<p>

"Did you find him?" The pilot asked, only to be silenced with Ward's index finger pressed to his lips.

"Yeah..." The specialist replied, still smiling softly, before he gestured to their hacker and their leader. "Yeah, come here...You gotta see this..."

Turning to see what Grant was so anxious for her to see, Melinda May felt her heart melt in her chest. _He needs this..._She thought to herself. "Think we oughtta go in there?" She asked, quietly.

Shrugging lightly, Grant replied "Yeah, probly..." He replied, reluctantly. Exchanging glances, the pilot and the specialist cleared their throats awkwardly as they entered the room. "Sorry to interrupt..." Ward offered, awkwardly.

"You're not interrupting..." Skye replied, lightly, wiping the tears from her eyes as she and Phil both composed themselves.

"Agent Ward..." Phil replied, acknowledging his operative. "Agent May..."

"It's good to see you, again, Phil..." Melinda replied, the ghost of a relieved smile on her face.

"Ditto." Ward replied, smiling as well.

Finally, Phil couldn't hold back, any longer. He had to voice the question weighing on his mind. "What about Loki?" He asked, timidly, terrified of the answer.

"He won't be bothering you, again." The dark otne in Skye's voice as she spoke gave Phil chills. "Or anyone else, for that matter." She added, just as darkly, with a murderous smirk on her face.

"Is he...?" Phil asked, cautiously, too afraid to complete the thought.

"I killed him." The rest of the group was relieved to hear their hacker's voice return to normal as she focused on Phil.

The senior agent couldn't believe what his hacker had done for him. Not only had she come to save him, but, she'd also killed his attacker. Even after everything he'd been through, he couldn't escape the feeling of pride at her accomplishment.

The moment was broken when Skye, Ward, and May all heard Simmons' voice over their comms. _"As much as I hate interrupt this touching Kodak moment..." _She began, uncharacteristically sarcastically. _"Agent Fitz and I would greatly appreciate it if you could share Agent Coulson with the rest of us..."_

Phil couldn't escape the feeling that he'd missed something as the trio of operatives around him shared a laugh. A laugh which immediately put him on edge. "What's so funny?" He asked, frightened of the answer.

Picking up on the tension in Phil's voice, Skye gently took his hand in hers as she rested her free one on his chest before she spoke. "It's nothing..." She replied, dismissively. "Simmons is just anxious for us to get you back on The Bus."

"She's not wrong." Ward smiled. "We really should be getting back..." The rest of the group was inclined to agree with the specialist. Phil, for his part, would have committed murder for a hot shower. The newly reunited S.H.I.E.L.D. team all turned to take their leave, with Skye and Phil bringing up the rear-Phil clinging to Skye a little more than usual. But, if the hacker picked up on it, she didn't seem to mind as she offered him a warm smile and a reassuring squeeze of the hand. He wasn't an idiot. He knew he had a long road ahead of him. But, with his beloved hacker by his side, he knew he would find a way to be okay.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<br>**Yay! Coulson's back and Loki's dead! All is right with the world. Lol Anyway, hope y'all like this chapter. First five reviewers get a sneak peek of coming attractions.

~Skye Coulson

* * *

><p>Thank <strong>GOD <strong>we got AC back. I was seriously gonna lose it if I had to keep worrying about him much longer. I just hope he can make it through this! I've seen what's to come...It ain't gonna be pretty...Stay tuned. You guys **gotta **see this!

~Skye


	5. You Make Me Feel Safe

**The Wrong Side of Heaven**

**Disclaimer:  
><strong>Y'all know the drill by now...

**Rating:  
><strong>M

**Genre:  
><strong>Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing:  
><strong>Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Jessie J "Laserlight"

* * *

><p><span>You Make Me Feel Safe<span>

* * *

><p><em>You're like a laserlight, burnin' down | Burnin' down on me | You're like a laserlight. Burnin' down | Burnin' down on me<em>

_You make me feel good | You make me feel safe | You make me feel like I could live another day | You make me feel good | You make me feel safe | You know I wouldn't have it any other way_

* * *

><p>"Glad to be home?" Skye asked, curiously, stepping inside Coulson's bunk as she quietly slid the door closed behind her.<p>

"You've no idea..." Phil replied, smiling softly. It was the truth. He was finally back on The Bus with his beloved hacker-where he belonged. Maybe now, things could start getting back to normal. Or at least whatever 'normal' was after everything he'd endured.

"Good." Skye smiled. However, Phil's smile soon faded as he watched her stalking across the room with the same feral look in her eyes as the other 'Skye'. The one that had preyed upon his clandestine feelings for her and used them to violate him in so many unspeakable ways. Before he even realized it, Skye was standing directly in front of him, running her hands up and down his chest. "Because I missed you, ya know..." She added, though, Phil could tell something was not quite right in her voice.

"R-really?" Phil stammered, trying to stay strong under the hacker's advances while subconsciously inching away from her until the backs of his knees hit the edge of the bed, knocking him off his balance as he fell back on the bed. "Is that so?" He asked, his voice cracking nervously.

"Oh, yes..." Skye purred, devilishly, as she crawled on top of Phil, pushing him down to lie flat on his back. "Why don't I show you just how much?" She asked. But, before Phil could respond, his entire body was paralyzed with fear as his beloved hacker suddenly morphed into his tormentor, the god of mischief and lies, himself...Loki.

"No..." Phil whimpered, helplessly. "No...You're dead!" He argued, weakly.

"As are you, Son of Coul..." Loki pointed out, smugly. "And, yet...Here we are..."

"No!" Phil whimpered again, only with slightly more volume to his voice. He would not allow the god to violate him on his own Bus. In his own bunk. He just wouldn't. He _couldn't. _"You're dead!" He repeated, his voice growing in panic. "You're dead! Skye killed you!" _This isn't real! _The senior agent told himself. _It _**_can't _**_be real! You're on The Bus! There's no way any of your teammates would have let him anywhere near you! Plus, he's dead! Skye killed him! This is just your imagination getting away from you!_ He told himself. This wasn't really happening. It was a nightmare. It had to be. He _needed _it to be.

"Really?" Loki sneered, leaning over the agent until mere inches separated their faces. "And...Who is that, exactly, over there?" The god taunted, pointing over his shoulder to the dead body in the corner of the room.

Following the direction in which Loki had pointed, Phil's eyes widened in shock. It was Skye, slumped in a lifeless heap atop a pool of blood. It was evident she was clearly dead. "No..." Phil breathed, shakily. "Oh, no..." This couldn't be happening. There was no way that Skye was dead and Loki was alive. It just couldn't be real. "Skye!" He called, in a futile attempt at proving Loki wrong. "Skye!" He repeated, a little louder. "SKYE!" He cried out, screaming out all of his pain and anguish as Loki just smiled while he ripped the agent's clothes off. "SKYE!" Phil cried out, yet again, desperate for his hacker to save him once more.

* * *

><p>Downstairs, the rest of the team all emerged from their bunks, simultaneously, at the sound of their leader crying out for the hacker. "I got it..." Skye spoke, first, taking in all of the various stares from her teammates, as she waved at them to go back to bed. Tying her robe around her waist, she took off at a dead run, climbing the stairs two at a time, until she reached her AC's bunk. Not even caring about the violation of his privacy, she threw the door open to reveal Phil thrashing around on his bed, struggling against some invisible force, tears pouring like rain down his face as he continued screaming her name.<p>

Shaking off the heartbreak she felt at the sight, the hacker operated on pure physical instinct as she climbed atop AC, gripping his hands in her own and folding them over his chest-much the same as she had done when she found him in Raina's machine. Using her right hand to hold Phil's hands in place, on his chest, she leaned forward to gently card the fingers of her left hand through the agent's hair as she spoke calmly and quietly in his ear words of reassurance. "Shh...It's okay...It's okay, Phil..." She cooed, gently, willing the agent to still beneath her. As the thrashing lessened, a small triumphant smile spread across her face while she continued her ministrations. "It's okay...I've got you...I'm here...You're safe." She whispered, gently. The actions seemed to be having their desired effect. "I'm here..." She repeated. "That's it...Just relax...Nobody can hurt you, now...I swear on my _life_, Phil...I swear on my life, I won't let anyone hurt you ever again..." Finally, the agent beneath her stilled completely as she moved off of him only to lay next to him.

The agent's bright blue eyes snapped open as he scanned his surroundings frantically, chest heaving with the left-over terror of his nightmare. "Skye!" He cried, gathering the young hacker into his arms, clinging to her as though she would disappear and his nightmare would become real if he let go. "Skye..." He repeated her name, shakily, as he buried his face in the crook of her neck.

Sensing that the agent needed this, Skye relaxed into the embrace-allowing AC to do whatever he felt he needed to do to assure himself that everything he'd just seen hadn't been real, but, just a nightmare. "That's right..." Skye whispered, gently, wrapping her own arms around the agent. "That's right, I'm here..."

After calming himself and reassuring himself that his beloved hacker was, indeed, still very much alive, Phil relaxed as he asked "What happened?"

"You had a nightmare." Skye replied, simply. "Must have been pretty bad..." She mused, while still carding her fingers through his hair. "You woke up the rest of The Bus..."

Turning away from Skye, Phil felt the pang of guilt that came with burdening his team with his problems. "I'm sorry." He muttered, brokenly.

"Hey..." Skye chided, gently, as she halted her ministrations to prop herself up on her elbow before speaking again. "That bastard dragged you through depths of Hell that I'm reasonably certain even Satan, **_himself_**, actively tries to avoid." She pointed out. "I think you're entitled to a few hellacious nightmares." She added, smiling softly. "You _never _have to apologize for something like that." She finished, more seriously.

Looking up into the warm doe eyes he'd grown to love, Phil didn't know what he'd done to deserve someone like her in his life. But, one thing was for certain. He was damn sure glad he'd done it. "Thank you, Skye..." He replied, tentatively reaching out to pull her in, again, craving the warmth and security that only her embrace seemed able to provide.

Resting her head on his chest, Skye carefully voiced the question weighing on her mind. "You wanna talk about it?" Suddenly, she felt the agent next to her freeze before she shifted in his arms to look into his eyes. The eyes which refused to meet hers. "Phil?" She asked, gently. "Phil, what is it?" She asked, worriedly. "What's wrong?"

Shaking his head, Phil's voice took on a broken and uncertain tone. "I...I can't..."

Seeing the look on his face and hearing the pain in his voice broke Skye's heart as she carefully and gently moved her hand to stroke his cheek, pausing to wipe away the few fresh tears that had stolen from his eyes. "Oh, Phil..." She breathed, hating what Phil had been reduced to. Here he was, her strong protector reduced to precious little more than a broken shell of the man he'd once been. There, in that moment, she vowed to herself to do whatever it took to help Phil through whatever came his way as he dealt with and moved past everything he'd endured in his captivity. "Phil, look at me..." She whispered, gently, as she patiently waited for Phil to comply with her softly-spoken command. Once she had his attention, she pressed onward. "You know you can _always _tell me _anything_...Right?"

Hearing the words from her lips made Phil feel marginally better. He knew he _wanted _to tell the hacker holding him everything. Intellectually, he knew she would never judge him for whatever he told her. But, he just didn't know _how _to tell the woman he loved that he'd seen her dead body on the floor of his bunk while a psychotic Norse god raped him in his own bed. But, another look in her eyes and Phil finally gave in. "He came back..."

There was no need for Skye to ask who 'he' was. She knew it was Loki. Though, she remained silent as she patiently waited for Phil to continue.

"He was alive and..." Phil paused to swallow back a sob. He could hardly even bring himself to speak the word 'dead' in reference to Skye. It was because he knew how well and truly lost he would be without her. "And, you..." As he pressed onward with his story, Phil's voice cracked and broke and shook. "You were dead..."

"Well..." Skye began, warmly, gently forcing Phil to hold her gaze. "It's all over now. It's all in the past." She added, tenderly. "And, more importantly...It wasn't real..." With that, she paused to take Phil's hand in her own as she gently pressed it to her chest to allow Phil to feel her heart beating underneath his hand. "I'm right here...Very. Much. Alive."

A comfortable silence stretched between them as Phil reassured himself that it had all, in fact, been a nightmare. Once he seemed calm enough to get back to sleep, Skye gently started to get up only to be halted by hand gripping her arm. "Where are you going?" Phil asked, his voice coming across more lost than he'd originally intended.

Slightly confused, Skye replied "Well, you seemed like you'd calmed down enough to go back to sleep..." She reasoned, carefully. "I was just gonna go back to my bunk and let you get some rest..." She offered, slowly.

"Oh..." It was only one word but, it sliced right through the hacker like a knife. Watching Phil release his grip on her arm and turn away from her to curl into a tight fetal position, she suddenly realized what it was that the agent had wanted. "Okay, then..." Phil muttered, brokenly.

Rounding the edge of the bed, Skye knelt by his bedside, forcing him to look at her. "You want me to stay..." She stated, simply. "Don't you?"

Phil hated how exposed he felt, in that moment. He didn't want Skye to feel he needed her by his side, twenty-four-seven. Because he didn't. Of course he didn't. He was a grown man, for Christ's sake. Surely, he could get through one measly little night without her. Right? "No." He replied, petulantly, refusing to meet her eyes.

Tenderly resting her hand on the side of his face, Skye couldn't resist the ever-so-small smile at the agent's petulant response. "Phil..." She called. Her voice was soft, yet, seemed to command his attention as he reluctantly looked back up at her. To his surprise, he found no patronizing expression. All he found was a warm, supportive smile. "If you want me to say, all you have to do is ask." She added, tenderly.

The senior agent knew he wanted nothing _more _than to have Skye stay with him through the night. He knew he'd never have to worry about nightmares with her by his side. Finally, he knew what he had to do. Swallowing his damn pride, he asked "Would you stay with me?"

Smiling warmly, Skye stroked a stray lock of hair from his face as she replied "Of course I will." And, with that, she rose to her feet and returned to the side of the bed which, moments earlier, she had vacated. Settling in beside the agent, Skye pulled him into her arms as he settled into her embrace-resting his head on her chest, leaving his hand resting over her heart. The steady rhythm of the organ beating beneath his hand served as a constant reminder that his protector was still alive and soothed him back to sleep as a lullaby. Only this time, his dreams were not plagued by images of rape and torture. Rather, they were blessed with images of a beautiful young hacker holding him...kissing him...making love to him. Even if none of those things could happen in reality...They were nice to dream about.

Watching the agent in her arms drifting off to sleep, Skye had to smile. She was glad that she was able to be there for Phil. After everything he'd done for her...This was her chance to repay him. And, damn it, she'd do whatever it took. She knew sleep would elude her as she insisted on staying awake and being ready to deal with any additional nightmares. But, that was a price she was more than willing to pay if it meant protecting the man she loved.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<br>**Well, there it is. Concrete evidence that I can be both warm and loving **_and _**a completely cold and heartless bitch! Lol Yes, it _is _possible to be both! Anyway, enjoy! And, don't forget to drop me a review! And, no, I have _not _forgotten about "Back From the Dead". I'll probably try to get started on the next chapter for that one, tomorrow! In the meantime, I should be getting ready for bed! Night, y'all!

~Skye Coulson


	6. I Can Dream About You

**The Wrong Side of Heaven**

**Disclaimer:  
><strong>Y'all know the drill, by now...

**Rating:  
><strong>T

**Genre:  
><strong>Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing:  
><strong>Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Lorde "Team"**  
><strong>Miley Cyrus "Maybe You're Right"  
>Dan Hartman "I Can Dream About You"<br>Christina Perri "I Don't Wanna Break"

* * *

><p><span>I Can Dream About You<span>

* * *

><p><em>We live in cities | You'll never see on screen | Not very pretty | But, we sure know how to run things | Living in ruins | of the palace within my dreams | And, ya know | We're on each other's team<br>I'm kinda over getting told to throw my hands up in the air | So, there | I'm kinda older than I was when I reveled without a care | So, there_

* * *

><p>The next morning, Skye had left a note behind for Phil to find on her pillow before making her way down to the galley for a much-needed cup of coffee. "Hello, Skye." Jemma greeted her, with a false chipper note to her voice – immediately putting Skye on alert.<p>

"Hey … Jemma." The hacker greeted, carefully, looking to see where the bio-chemist was going before showing her hand.

A slightly awkward silence stretched between the scientist and the hacker before Jemma set her cup down and finally addressed the elephant in the room. "I noticed you never came back down to your bunk after checking on Agent Coulson, last night." She stated, carefully, hoping not to sound too accusing.

"Here we go." Skye muttered quietly, under her breath. "Look, Jemma. I tried to come back down – Coulson looked like he'd calmed down enough to go back to sleep, so I made to leave. But, as soon as I took one step toward the door, he grabbed my wrist and all but begged me to stay with him. What the hell was I supposed to do?" She demanded, throwing her hands up in surrender.

"I understand you were caught between the proverbial rock and hard place." Jemma conceded, gently. "But, it's still highly inappropriate for someone like you or I to spend the night with a senior agent."

"You didn't _see _him, Jemma." The hacker snapped, frightening the science officer. "You didn't see the pain and abandonment in his eyes. And, frankly, after everything that he's been through, I dare you to look me in the eye and tell me that – if you had been in my shoes … saw what I saw – you would just walk away and leave him terrified and alone."

As Skye spoke, Jemma could only hang her head. Deep down, she knew that she would have done the same thing in Skye's shoes. However, she soon snapped her head up as she heard a resounding _smack_ as Skye glared at her, snarling "**You tell me that**!"

"That's enough." Grant Ward snapped, breaking up the scene upon hearing the _smack_. "Jemma's right, Skye." He added, shifting his attention to the hacker. "As honorable as your intentions may have been, to the wrong perspective, it could have seemed like something completely different."

"We all get what you were trying to do …" Melinda May conceded, entering the galley, as well. "And, we're all grateful to you for having his back … But, in this line of work, perception _is _reality."

"Well, _perceive _what you will, Agent May …" Skye snarled. "But, that man has done _so _much for me …" She added, her voice almost imperceptibly shaky. "The _one time _**_I _**get to be there for **_him_**… And, you all try to _condemn _me for it?!"

"No one's condemning you." Leo Fitz asserted, gently, joining the conversation as he emerged from his bunk – having been disturbed by the voices outside his door.

"We're just saying that you might wanna be a bit more careful." Ward elaborated.

* * *

><p><em>You might think I'm crazy | That I'm lost and foolish | Leaving you behind | Maybe you're right | You might think I'm crazy | That I'm lost and foolish | Leaving you behind | Maybe you're right | Maybe you're right<em>

* * *

><p><em>I can't keep doing this … <em>Phil Coulson thought to himself as he watched the exchange in the galley from the shadows. _I can't keep using her as a crutch._ He decided. He hated himself, in that moment, for the position he'd put her in. The senior agent knew what he needed to do.

* * *

><p><em>I can dream about you | If I can't hold you, tonight | I can dream about you | You know how to hold me just right<em>

* * *

><p>Later that night, after an intense workout in the gym to clear her thoughts, Skye made her way upstairs for a long hot shower. As the water rolled down her body, she imagined she could feel the stress washing down the drain with the body wash she was rinsing from her skin. Finally, as she finished, she shut the water off before stepping out and toweling herself dry before changing into her black lounge pants and gray tee-shirt.<p>

Entering the common area, she saw Phil with the rest of the team – laughing over a game of scrabble. "Oh, come on!" Ward whined, watching Jemma play the word 'AGLET'. "That can't even be a real word!"

"It most certainly is." Jemma declared, defending her play. "Aglets are little plastic things wrapped 'round the ends of your shoelaces." She argued, before turning to Skye. "Skye, come on!" She begged. "Help me out here! Tell them 'aglet' is a real word!"

It took everything the young hacker had within her to steadfastly ignore the way Jemma was speaking to her – as if that little scene in the galley had never happened – and react with the same temperament. "Sorry, guys." She replied, shortly, her voice lacking it's typical care-free edge. "Simmons is right." She added. "And, on that note …" She added, turning her attention to Phil to watch his reaction to her next statement. "I think I'm gonna turn in."

"It's not even ten o'clock." Leo argued, brow furrowed in confusion.

"Yeah, come on." Ward added, waving for the hacker to join their game. "Why don't you join the next round?"

Biting her tongue, Skye replied "I'm pretty beat after my workout." Not a lie. She really had gone all out on the poor punching bag. "I think I'll just turn in." She added before stepping close enough to Coulson to rest a hand on his shoulder. "You gonna be all right?" She asked, curious to see if he would be needing her company again – and, not giving a rat's ass what the rest of the team thought about it.

Fighting with every ounce of self-control he'd ever possessed, Phil steadfastly ignored the urge to fidget nervously as he eyed the reactions of the rest of the team. He stood by his decision he'd made that morning. He would not allow Skye to be bullied by her own teammates for trying to have his back. "Yeah." He replied, finally, managing an almost-convincing – almost – smile. "Yeah, I'm good."

Slightly disappointed that she wasn't needed, that evening, Skye couldn't quite shake the suspicion that crept to the forefront of her mind when she saw Phil's not-quite-natural smile. "Okay." She replied, finally, deciding it best not to question the senior agent in front of the rest of the team. "Well, good night, then." She added, shifting her attention to the rest of the team as she let her hand slip from Phil's shoulder.

Suddenly acutely aware of the cold patch on his shoulder where Skye's hand had rested mere seconds prior, Phil knew he had to ignore the sensation. He would not be weak. He would be strong. For Skye's sake. He had to be. "Good night, Skye." Phil replied, hoping to feign a believable level of nonchalance.

"Yes, good night, Skye." Jemma replied, her usual chipper demeanor back in place after her victory in the Scrabble game.

"Night." The rest of the team called, simultaneously.

As she entered her bunk, the young hacker fought with everything she had to shake the fear that she was hanging Phil out to dry. _But, I _did _ask … He said he was okay … He wouldn't lie if he really needed me … Would he?_ She couldn't help wondering as she knew sleep would elude her once again.

* * *

><p><em>I just wanna love you | Don't wanna lose me | Don't wanna lose you, whoa oh | If it gets harder | Then, I don't wanna break all alone | I just wanna break in your<em>

_Whoa, oh | Whoa, oh oh | (Don't wanna break in your)_

_And, if it gets harder | Then, I don't wanna break all alone | I wanna break in your arms_

* * *

><p>Whimpering, helplessly, Phil's eyes snapped open as he sat bolt-upright in his bed, frantically scanning his surroundings until his mind registered that he was – in fact – still in his own bunk on The Bus. It had been another nightmare of his captivity with Loki. His first instinct was to run to the comfort of his beloved hacker's arms – comfort that he knew only she could provide. But, then, his mind recalled the scene in the galley, and reminded him of his decision not involve her any further. "Get it together, Coulson." He snapped at himself, under his breath, as he laid back down and pulled the blankets tight around himself. <em>You're a grown-ass man, for Christ's sake … You can do this on your own. Skye needs you to do it on your own. <em>He told himself, mentally scolding himself for his weakness. He had to get past this – without involving the young hacker. And, he would. If it was the last thing he ever did.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in her own bunk, Skye's sleep was plagued by the same nightmare she'd experienced after sampling Fitzsimmons' sleeping aid. Once again, she'd witnessed Phil's rape – utterly powerless to stop it – and felt her heart shatter all over again as Phil, once again, blamed her for everything happening to him. Her first instinct was to run to the senior agent – desperate for reassurance that he didn't blame her. But, she knew – or at least <em>hoped –<em> that the agent would be asleep in his bunk. And, she would not disturb him with her own weakness.

Besides, deep down, she knew he needed her to be strong for him. She was the rock he clung to when the shit hit the fan. She couldn't let him see her like this. She wouldn't. "Get it together, Skye." She muttered, angrily, under her breath as she threw herself back down onto the bed, drawing the sheets tight around her. _Phil needs you to be strong … _She told herself. _You can't afford to let him down …_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<br>**I hope this is acceptable to those of you that have been anxiously awaiting an update on this story. I wanted to write more, but, my boyfriend is having his tonsils out dark and early in the morning (he checks in at 5;45 a.m.) and he wants me to accompany him. So, I really must be getting to bed. In the meantime, I'd love you all to leave a review.

~Skye Coulson


	7. Only know Ya When You Let Her Go

**The Wrong Side of Heaven**

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<br>**As always, I own nothing.

**Rating:  
><strong>T

**Genre:  
><strong>Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing:  
><strong>Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Within Temptation "Let Her Go"  
>P!nk "Please, Don't Leave Me"<br>Katy Perry "Unconditionally"

* * *

><p><span>Only Know You Love Her When You Let Her Go<span>

* * *

><p><em>Staring at the ceiling in the dark | Same old empty feeling in your heart | 'Cause love comes slow and it goes so fast | Well, you see her when you fall asleep | But, never to touch and never to keep | 'Cause you loved her too much and you dove too deep<em>

_'Cause you only need the light when it's burning low | Only miss the sun when it starts to snow | Only know you love her when you let her go_

_Only know you been high when you're feeling low | Only hate the road when you're missing home | Only know you love her when you let her go_

_And, you let her go_

* * *

><p>Two weeks had gone by since the night Phil had begged Skye to stay with him and the nightmares were slowly getting progressively worse. Every night was the same. It always started out making love to the impossibly beautiful hacker that had run away with his heart. But, all too soon, her kind and loving countenance gave way to Loki who then used his feelings for Skye to violate him in every way possible – quite possibly creating more than a few new ones while he was at it. And, Phil Coulson could feel his walls crumbling. But, he had fought with everything he had to put up a brave front for Skye. He couldn't let her see his weakness. He wouldn't put her in that position with the rest of the team. It also didn't help that she had slowly started distancing herself from them – seeking refuge in her SUV for more and more 'me time'.<p>

Two weeks after Phil had stopped asking her to stay with him, Skye had noticed the life slowly draining from his impossibly beautiful, piercing blue eyes. She hated it. She hated not being able to do a damn thing for him. In the beginning, she'd tried. She'd done everything she could think of to make herself available to him. But, time after time, she was shot down. Phil would always lie and say "I'm fine." and "Thanks for asking." or "I appreciate your concern." And, quite honestly, it was driving Skye crazy. _Selfish bastard … Sorry … _She thought to herself as she sat alone in her SUV. She could tell the increase in 'me time' was hurting Phil. But, she just couldn't bear seeing him in pain knowing that he wouldn't let her do a damn thing to help him.

Finally deciding it was time to at least attempt to get some sleep, Skye shut down her long-forgotten laptop as she climbed out of the SUV before heading up the stairs to her bunk.

Arriving in the lounge area, the young hacker noticed that the rest of the team must have gone down, as well, when she saw Phil sitting alone at the bar. Deciding it was worth a shot, she set her laptop down on the loveseat before sliding down on to the empty stool next to him. "Buy ya a drink?" She offered, hoping to break the ice with a joke.

The dead stare – hidden behind false bravado – cut her to the core as Phil turned his gaze to her. "Thanks. But, I'm good." He offered, quietly.

Finally fed up, Skye sighed as she decided to go for broke. "Damn it, AC, would you just _talk _to me for Christ's sake?!" She released on a single breath. "I'm sorry. That came across way harsher than I meant it." She apologized quickly, before getting back to the topic at hand. "I just meant that … I can tell something's bothering you – don't you even dare lie to me – I can see it in your eyes." She added, cutting any bogus claims Phil could have made about being 'fine'. "I wanna help but I can't _do _that if you don't **talk **to me!"

Smiling softly – _almost _convincingly – Coulson assured his beloved hacker. "Skye … I truly do appreciate your concern … But, I'm fine. I'll tell you if I need something."

"You're lying." Skye countered, sharply. "I can see it in your eyes."

Sighing lightly, Phil refused to be weak. "Skye … I told you … I'm fine." He ground out.

"Phil, please." Skye begged, gently taking the senior agent's hand in her own. "You don't have to hide anything. What are you so afraid of?"

Phil swallowed hard. The sensation of Skye's warm hand gently wrapped around his own was rapidly eroding his defenses. He knew he had to put an end to this. Whatever means necessary. "Skye. I'm fine."

Rising to her feet, Skye replied "Damn it, Phil!" As she began pacing back and forth, the hacker continued on. "I know that everyone else on this Bus is buying into your bullshit 'I'm fine.' routine. But, _I _know you better! I am the _only _one **left **who hasn't bought into your bullshit act-"

Finally rising from his seat, Phil decided his best option was to hide behind false anger. "Did you **ever **stop to think that maybe there's a _reason _you're the only one?!" He barked, so furiously that it startled the hacker into silence. "Maybe that reason is because it's **not **an act! Maybe I really _am _**fine**! Did you ever stop to consider _that_?!"

Staring into the face that would not be moved, Skye wanted nothing more than to finally break through to him. To finally get him to get whatever was bothering him off of his chest once and for all. To finally _help him_. But, a heart-shattering realization hit her like a MACK truck. As much as she desperately _wanted _to help him … he needed to want to help himself. A lone, frustrated, tear rolled down her cheek – which she quickly wiped away – as she spoke again – her voice taking on a much more subdued volume. ""I am the **only **person who _hasn't _given up on you, yet!" Skye warned, carefully. "You might wanna think about that before you push away the _only _person **left **in your corner!" Skye knew her defenses were crumbling. "I _wanna _help you." She admitted, helplessly. "But, I can't help someone who won't help themselves." With nothing left to be said or done, Skye quickly retreated to her bunk for the evening.

Listening to the door shut, Phil closed his eyes as he sighed heavily. Well, he'd done it. He managed to successfully push away the one person who actually _wanted _to help him – who cared enough to call him on his bullshit. Frustrated and devastated, Phil reacted the only way he knew how. Sighing heavily, he turned and headed for the gym.

* * *

><p><em>I don't know if I can yell any louder | How many times have I kicked you out of here | Or said something insulting<em>

_Da da da da da_

_I can be so mean when I wanna be | I am capable of really anything | I can cut you into pieces | When my heart is broken_

_Da da da da da_

_Please, don't leave me | Please, don't leave me | I always say how I don't need you | But, it's always gonna come right back to this | Please don't leave me_

_I forgot to say out loud | How beautiful you really are to me | I can't be without | You're my perfect little punching bag | And, I need you | I'm sorry_

* * *

><p>As he continued taking his pain and frustrations out on the punching bag before him, Phil couldn't shake Skye's words from earlier from his mind. <em>'You might wanna think twice before you push away the <em>only_ person _**_left_**_ in your corner...'_ _Damn it, Phil!_ He cursed himself as he threw another punch. _She was only trying to help you._ He thought angrily. _And, you _**_know_**_ you_ need _her! You never would have made it through that hell without her … Even if Loki _**_did_**_ use her against you … _ He told himself as spent the last of his strength and energy on one last angry punch, sending the punching bag flying far enough backwards that it lay nearly perfectly horizontal in the air before it swung back while cursing loudly. "GODDAMN IT!" He screamed as his knees gave way. Collapsing to the floor, the senior agent felt all of his walls come crashing down around him in the form of a flood of tears. Here, in his weakest moment, the only person he wanted there with him was nowhere to be found. _And, it's entirely my own stupid fault … _He told himself.

But, little did he know she _was_ there. Standing at the top of the stair case, Skye watched the metaphoric dam break as Coulson collapsed to his knees, crying silently. The whole scene caused her heart to shatter. Finally unable to stand it any longer, she quickly and quietly descended the stairs to position herself directly behind him.

* * *

><p><em>Oh no | Did I get too close | Oh | Did I almost see | What's really on the inside | All your insecurities | All the dirty laundry | Never made me blink one time<em>

_Unconditional | Unconditionally | I will love you | Unconditionally | And, there is no fear, now | Let go and just be free | 'Cause I will love you | Unconditionally_

* * *

><p>Phil had been so lost in his own misery that he'd never heard the footsteps on the stairs or approaching him from behind. Suddenly, he felt himself being wrenched back into reality as someone crouched down behind him. Instinctively, he froze until he felt hands that he knew he'd know anywhere gently land on his shoulders, sliding oh-so-slowly down his arms until a familiar chest was pressed flush against his back. Warm and welcoming arms encircled him, protectively, as he felt a familiar face pressed into the crook of his neck. It was his beloved hacker come to help him through his lowest point. This time … he would let her. Unable to fight her, Phil felt a choked sob wrack his body before he shifted in her arms-never breaking her hold on him-to look her in the eyes. "I…" He whispered, shakily. "I'm so sorry … " He breathed.<p>

Raising her head to look the man she loved in the eye, Skye smiled softly as she replied quietly "I know … I know you are, Phil … "

Her softly spoken, warm, acceptance of his apology brought what precious little was left of his resolve crashing down. "I never wanted to push you away … " He admitted, brokenly, hanging his head, as if ashamed of some imagined wrong-doing.

Unwilling to break her hold on him, Skye gently nudged his face with hers until he looked back up at her. "Don't apologize." She whispered, their faces so close, he could feel her warm breath ghosting over his face.

Nodding silently, Phil paused a moment before speaking again. "Please don't leave …" He whimpered, hating how weak he felt. "I need you … " The desperate plea tugged at every single one of Skye's heartstrings.

"That's why I'm here." Skye replied, keeping her voice soft and warm. An oddly comfortable silence stretched between them before the hacker spoke again. "Ready to talk?" She asked, ever-so-gently.

This time, Phil was ready to accept the help being offered to him. Not trusting himself to speak, he simply nodded silently. Understanding the unspoken response, Skye shifted her hold on the senior agent to guide him to his feet before she spoke again.

"Come on..." She spoke so tenderly and warmly that Phil knew he'd made the right choice in trusting her enough to let her in. "I'm gonna take you to bed … We can talk, there … "

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<br>**Sorry for the delay. I hope you all enjoyed this little installment. Big news comin' up for Phil in later chapters. :D

~Skye Coulson


	8. I'm Rooting For My Baby

**The Wrong Side of Heaven**

**Disclaimer:  
><strong>As usual … I own nothing.

**Rating:  
><strong>T

**Genre:  
><strong>Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing:  
><strong>Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Miley Cyrus "Rooting For My Baby"  
>Carrie Underwood "Forever Changed"<br>Chelsea Griggs "I Won't Let Go"

* * *

><p><span>I'm Rooting For My Baby<span>

* * *

><p><em>Just hold on | In a minute, it'll be over and gone | Gone, gone, gone, gone<em>

_I know, I know | That you go through a lot | I know, I know | The pressure makes ya hot | See I know, I know | 'Cause ya still know what you got | I know, I know, yeah_

* * *

><p>Sliding the door to Phil's bunk closed, behind her, Skye moved to sit next to him at the foot of the bed. After a brief silence, Phil was the first to speak. "You were right." His words came in the form of a small, quiet, whisper which Skye nearly had to strain to hear. "I tried to pretend that … That everything was fine … That I was okay … But, it isn't … I'm not…" He added, staring at his folded hands in his lap.<p>

Gently wrapping her arm around his shoulders, Skye used her free hand to gently cradle his own as she spoke. "Phil … That's okay. Nobody _expects _you to be okay … At least not right away. You endured … _countless _unspeakable traumas. It's a miracle you're doing as well as you _are_ … It's okay to accept help."

"You're right." The senior agent repeated, weakly – grateful for the support of her embrace. "It just that … I saw the way the rest of the group cornered you in the galley, the other morning … After you'd stayed the night with me, the night before … I just … Seeing what kind of position that put you in, I felt so guilty. Like it was _my _fault they were accusing you of those things. My reaction was to just … bottle everything up … Make you think I was okay and that I didn't need you to stay with me, anymore …" Phil had to admit. It felt good to finally be getting all these feelings off of his chest. Especially knowing that Skye would never judge him _for _these feelings.

"Oh, Phil…" The young hacker replied, sympathetically. "Phil, you don't have to do that, okay?" She offered, her voice warm and gentle. "You don't have to be strong for anyone. If you need me, that's okay. I don't want you thinking you have to pretend to be okay when you're not. I can handle the others. They're not my concern, right now." She countered, adamantly. "_You _are. _You _are my concern. Phil. If the others can't understand that being there for a friend occasionally means doing things like spending the night with them so that they don't feel alone, then, I'm sorry … But, that really is _their _problem … Not yours."

Phil couldn't believe all of the incredible things Skye was saying and doing for him, right now. Even if he could never have the romantic relationship he truly wanted with her … It was nice to know that he at least had her in his life as a friend. And, a very close friend at that. "Thank you, Skye." He replied, managing a small – genuine – smile. "I can't tell you how much it means to me have you in my life."

Smiling softly, Skye just replied. "Trust me, AC … _I'm _the lucky one in this friendship." After a not-entirely-uncomfortable silence stretched between them for a moment, Skye finally voiced her question. "So … That scene in the galley the other day … _That's _why you've been dodging me? Why you didn't wanna open up and talk about what was bothering you?"

Looking away, Phil could only nod guiltily as he stared at their entwined hands in his lap. "I'm sorry." He managed, quietly.

Removing her hand from his, Skye used her thumb and forefinger to gently coax Phil's gaze back up to her own. "Phil." The voice that uttered his name was so soft and warm, it was almost like a lullaby. "Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. Just … Don't be afraid to come to me whenever you need me. Okay? I don't want you to think you have to hide anything from me."

Smiling in relief, Phil replied "I won't." Craving the warmth and security only Skye's embrace could provide, Phil cautiously drew the young hacker into his arms as he buried his face in the crook of her neck – feeling invincible, once more, as her arms encircled him, protectively – as he spoke again. "Thank you, Skye."

"Anytime." Skye smiled, relieved to see Phil finally dealing with his problems – facing them, head-on, rather than hiding behind a facade. As the two finally parted, the young hacker could see the exhaustion – both physical and emotional – written in the agent's piercing blue eyes. "Come on …" She urged, gently, guiding Phil back toward the head of the bed. "You should try to get some sleep."

Settling into place, under the sheets, Phil shifted to look up at Skye. "You'll stay with me?" He asked, his voice far more vulnerable than he would ever admit to – even under the worst of torture.

Smiling softly, Skye replied "Of course." as she crawled under the sheets, taking the senior agent into her arms as he rested his head against her chest. "Good night, Phil." She added, carefully reaching over to the nightstand to turn out the light.

"Good night, Skye." Phil breathed, already relaxing into sleep. He knew, with Skye holding him, he would finally get his first decent night's sleep in days.

* * *

><p><em>She remembers the change in her body | The bloomin' within | And, how her heart seemed to flutter with the wind | Then, one night, as the days grew longer | That Indian Summer | She brought love into the world | And cried, and held me, then<em>

* * *

><p>Skye awoke when she felt a sudden movement from the other side of the bed. Rolling over to see what was wrong, she watched as Phil suddenly leaned over the side of the bed, vomiting into what she assumed was a wastebasket. Concerned, she scooted over, gently rubbing his back soothingly until the heaves slowed to a stop. Once Phil leaned back onto the bed, catching his breath, Skye silently rose from the bed and moved to the en suite bathroom, retrieving a cup of water. "Here." She offered, gently, as Phil accepted the small paper cup, gratefully.<p>

"Thanks." The senior agent replied, as Skye slid back into bed, next to him. Swirling the water around his mouth, he spat the remnants of the vomit into the wastebasket before dropping the cup in, along with it.

Propping herself up onto her elbow, Skye rested her hand on Phil's chest as she carefully voiced the question weighing on her mind. "Are you okay?"

Grateful for the concern, Phil offered a small smile as he propped himself up to look his protector in the eyes. "I'm fine … Skye … Really." Still seeing the trepidation in the young woman's doe eyes, Phil cradled the hand on his chest in his own as he spoke again. "Skye, listen to me. I'm done hiding. I took everything you said, earlier to heart. I'm not hiding anything, anymore. So, when I tell you I'm fine – now – you can take that to the bank. Whatever this is, I'm sure it's nothing. It's probably just stress or something."

Listening to Phil's response, Skye knew his explanation was reasonable. _I'm probably just being paranoid. Just … making a mountain out of a molehill … _She thought to herself. But, she just couldn't shake the feeling that something more significant was going on. "I'm sure you're right." She replied, hoping to brush it off. Though, she could see in Phil's eyes that he knew something else was still bothering her.

"Skye, what's really going on, here?" The senior agent asked, gently.

Sighing lightly, Skye decided to just voice her concerns and be done with it. _I can't ask him not to hide anything from me if I'm hiding things from him … Right? _ "I just … I think I'd just feel better if you talked to Jemma about this. Let her check you out. And – I swear – if she says there's nothing wrong with you … that it's just … stress or … whatever … Then, I'll drop it. I won't say another word about it."

Phil told himself that Skye was just worried about him – and, he appreciated that. But, deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that maybe she was _right _to be worried. He still couldn't shake Loki's words from his mind. _Our fates will be forever sealed by this._ Nor could he shake the way he felt as though his entire body chemistry had been changed with that injection that Loki'd given him when he'd first been taken. "Okay." He replied, simply. If letting Jemma check him out would give Skye – and, himself, if he were honest – the peace of mind that she needed, then he would do it. After all … It was the least he could do after everything she'd done for him.

"O-Okay?" Skye asked, curiously. _He's not really giving in, that easily, is he?_ She wondered, silently.

"Okay." The senior agent repeated, managing a small smile. "If it will make you feel better, then I'll talk to Jemma. Let her check me out." He elaborated, warmly. "I'll talk to her, tomorrow."

Smiling softly, Skye gave Phil's hand a gentle squeeze as she replied "Thank you, Phil. That really means a lot to me."

* * *

><p><em>The Next Day<em>

* * *

><p>"Jemma." Phil greeted, casually, entering the lab as he moved to stand next to the bio-chemist.<p>

"Oh." Jemma replied, slightly startled by her boss's sudden appearance in the lab. "Hello, Agent Coulson. What can I do for you?" She greeted, brightly.

"Well, I spoke with Skye, last night." Phil began, hesitantly. "And, she noticed that I hadn't been feeling well, so, I promised her I'd speak with you about the matter." He continued, somewhat cryptically.

"'Not feeling well'?" Jemma repeated, curiously, setting her present task aside. "How so? What, exactly, seemed to be the matter?" She asked, turning to look up at the senior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.

"Well, nothing major." Phil assured her, gently. "But, I did vomit, last night."

"Oh. Really?" Jemma muttered, already taking notes. "And, were you running a fever of any sort?" She questioned, curiously.

"Uh, no – at least I don't think so." Phil replied, honestly.

"I see." The bio-chemist replied, off-handedly, as she marked the answer on her notes. "And, were there any other symptoms? Any stomach cramps? Diarrhea? Headaches? Fatigue?"

As the bio-chemist continued listing off other possible symptoms, Phil could already sense this would not be an entirely comfortable discussion. Although – he hadn't thought about it, before, but – he had been rather fatigued, lately. He'd simply chalked it up to his lack of a decent night's sleep since he'd been taken. "Well … Now, that you mention it … I _have _been rather tired, lately." He confessed. "But, that's about it."

"I see." Jemma hummed, once more, making more notes on her clipboard. Finally setting the clipboard down, she picked up a small plastic cup with a light blue lid. "Now … First of all … I'll need blood and urine samples for analysis."

Hesitantly accepting the proffered cup, Phil looked back at Jemma. "Really? You need both?" He asked, nervously. "Can't you just take a blood sample?"

"I could." Jemma conceded. "But, you _do _want me to be thorough … Correct?" She added, challengingly.

Sighing, Phil resigned himself to the facts. "Of course I do." Halfway out the door, he turned back to Jemma. "Fair warning about the blood sample … I'm not a big fan of being _poked_ …" Leaving a chuckling Jemma behind, Phil made his way to the nearest bathroom.

* * *

><p><em>It's like a storm | That cuts a path | It breaks your will | Yeah, it feels like that<em>

_You think you're lost | But, you're not lost on your own | You're not alone_

_I will stand by you | I will help you through | When you've done all you can do | If you can't cope | I will dry your eyes | I will fight your fight | I will hold you tight | And, I won't let go_

* * *

><p>"Hey, Jemma." Skye greeted, brightly.<p>

"Oh … Hello, Skye." Jemma replied, nervously.

Already on edge by the bio-chemist's nervous energy, Skye asked, carefully "Have you seen AC?"

"I just gave him his test results." Jemma replied, cryptically, as she pointed behind her toward their boss and mentor's office. "He's in his office going over them."

"Great." Skye replied, still slightly suspicious. "Thanks, Jemma." She added, carefully making her way around the science officer.

_Here we go … _Jemma thought to herself as she watched Skye disappear into the senior agent's office before taking off toward the common area.

* * *

><p>"Hey." Skye greeted, softly, from the office doorway – somewhat concerned by her dear friend's demeanor. He was hunched over – head in his hands – as he stared at the paperwork before him. However, as Skye spoke, she watched him slowly look up at her. Worried for him, she slowly crossed the room to stand next to him, behind the desk.<p>

Rotating his chair so that he could look up at her, Phil spoke so quietly that Skye nearly had to strain to hear it. "You were right."

"I'm … I'm sorry?" Skye replied, brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about, AC?" She asked, curiously.

"You were right." Phil repeated, just as cryptically as before. "There is something wrong with me."

Crouching down next to him, Skye looked up into his eyes as she asked "What is it? What's going on?"

"Read it." The softly spoken reply was followed by Phil passing Skye the test results that Jemma had given him. Accepting the proffered paperwork, Skye read over the information.

"This … This can't be right." Skye spoke, quietly, looking up at Phil

"That's what Jemma thought." Phil replied, weakly. "Even ran the tests four times." He added, resignedly. "Came back exactly the same, every time."

Skye couldn't believe it. _Phil's … pregnant?_ In the back of her mind, she should have known it was possible. After the threats Loki'd made. He'd wanted a child. Looks like now, he was finally gonna get just that.

"What am I supposed to do, now?" Phil asked. Skye's heart ached for the helplessness in the older man's piercing blue eyes.

"Phil." Skye spoke carefully but surely as she pulled Phil out of his seat and lead him over to sit on the edge of the bed.

"I need you, Skye." The senior agent whimpered, leaning into her waiting embrace. "Tell me what to do." He begged, helplessly.

"Oh, Phil …" Skye spoke softly, wrapping her arms around Phil as he rested his head on her shoulder. Resting her chin atop his head, she added "I can't do that." She admitted, quietly. "I'm so sorry. But, I can't tell you what to do, here." Watching Phil pull away just far enough to look her in the eye, she added "This is a decision only you can make. Only you know what's right for you." She elaborated, helplessly, before raising one hand to gently caress his cheek. "But, I _can _tell you this … Whatever you _do _decide … I will be right here … Right by your side, every step of the way." Watching the semi-relieved smile tugging at the corners of his lips, she added "You will _never _be alone in this, Phil. I am here for you. We all are. Every single person on this plane is in your corner."

Deep down, Phil knew Skye was right. She couldn't make this decision for him – much as that might make this whole mess easier. Only he could do that. But, somehow, knowing that Skye believed in him and supported whatever decision he would make made the decision slightly less terrifying. "Thank you … Skye."

Smiling softly, Skye drew the senior agent into her arms – holding him close – as she spoke warm, gentle, words in his ear. "That's what I'm here for, Phil."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<br>**I hope this was satisfactory for those of you who've been waiting _so _patiently for an update on this story! Please read and review!

~Skye Coulson


	9. Everybody's Watchin For You To Breakdown

**The Wrong Side of Heaven**

**Disclaimer:  
><strong>As always … I own nothing.

**Rating:  
><strong>T

**Genre:  
><strong>Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing:  
><strong>Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Blake Shelton "God Gave Me You**  
><strong>Taylor Swift "Eyes Open"

* * *

><p><span>Everybody's Waiting For You to Break Down<span>

* * *

><p><em>God gave me you for the ups and downs | God gave me you for the days of doubt | And, when I think I've lost my way | There are no words, here, left to say, it's true | God gave me you<em>

* * *

><p>It had been three weeks since Phil Coulson's life had been turned upside down. Three weeks since the day he'd learned he was going to be a father to a half-human, half-Asgardian baby. And four weeks since he'd been faced with the hardest decision of his life. <em>"You okay?"<em> Skye's voice seemed distant and far away as she snapped him back into reality.

"Hm." Phil replied, startled, before regaining his composure. "Oh. Yes. Yes, I'm fine." He added, quickly. "I was just … somewhere else."

"Yeah, I got that." Skye replied, knowingly. "Did you even hear what I asked you?" She asked, feeling in her heart that she already knew the answer.

Thinking back for a moment, Phil realized that he couldn't – in fact – remember even hearing the young hacker speak before she snapped him out of his reverie. "I … No. I'm sorry …" He offered, lamely.

Giving his hand a gentle, reassuring, squeeze, she replied "That's quite all right. After everything you've been through, I think I'd be _more _worried if you _weren't _a space cadet from time-to-time." She spoke, understandingly. "I just asked if you were ready to go see Jemma for your check-up."

Sighing lightly, Phil brushed himself off as he replied "As I'll ever be, I supposed." Understanding the senior agent's perspective, Skye gave his arm a reassuring squeeze as she proceeded to lead him down to the lab area where Jemma had set up and was waiting for them.

* * *

><p>"What is this new project you've been so secretive about, lately?" Leo wondered, curiously. "Ever since Agent Coulson's returned and requested that meeting with you, you've hardly said two words to me." He added, somewhat hurt by being left out of whatever new project the bio-chemist was working on. They'd been lab partners since their first year at the Academy. He couldn't understand what she could be working on for their boss that she couldn't discuss with him.<p>

"I've already _told _you, Fitz." Jemma replied, exasperated by her friend and colleague's constant badgering. "It's simply a _private matter_." She explained, cryptically. "And, it is _not _open for discussion." The science officer insisted. "Agent Coulson will tell you all about it – as well the rest of the team, for that matter – if and _when _he is ready. Until then, you're simply going to have to wait, just like everybody else." She finished, shooing him out of the lab area before Skye and Coulson arrived for their 'appointment' of sorts. Deep down, she hated lying to Fitz. She truly did. But, she knew that it just wasn't her place to tell him what was going on. And, that doing so would constitute a gross invasion of their boss and mentor's privacy. Until he was ready to to open up to the rest of the team, she would simply have to keep her lips sealed on the matter. _It's no different than the confidentiality normal patients would expect from their regular physicians._ The bio-chemist told herself.

* * *

><p>Just before they descended the stairs down to the labcargo area, Skye was halted in place by Phil's hand on her arm. "What is it?" She asked, concerned, as she gently lay her own hand over the one on her arm.

"I've made my decision." Phil spoke, his voice quiet but sounding more sure than Skye could ever recall hearing. "I know what I want to do about the baby." He added, glancing down as his free hand landed on his abdomen.

Using her own free hand to guide Phil's gaze to hers, Skye asked, gently. "And? … What did you decide?"

Smiling softly at the beautiful young hacker before him, Phil replied "I want to keep it." Skye smiled in return as Phil continued on. "I never thought I would have a family of my own. I just didn't think it would be possible in this line of work. But, now that I've been given this incredible opportunity … No matter how horrendous the circumstances surrounding the conception … Regardless of the baby's other father … I want to keep and raise my baby." The senior agent's touching speech nearly moved Skye to tears as she swallowed back the lump in her throat before drawing her dear friend and the unwitting owner of her heart into her arms.

"I'm so happy for you, Phil." Skye replied, warmly. In that moment, Phil knew he'd made the right choice in confiding in Skye. "And, I stand by my promise." She added, surely. "Whatever you need … Just say the word … I'll be there." The young hacker swore, smiling warmly.

Nodding, Phil gently caressed her cheek with his thumb as he replied, gratefully. "Thank you, Skye." As the young woman turned away, blushing ever-so-slightly. "I mean it. I don't know if I'd be able to make this decision without your support."

"Well…" Skye replied, sniffing slightly, as she tried to maintain her usual carefree tone of voice. "Lucky for you … You'll never have to find out." She quipped. Though, the underlying meaning behind the words was no less sincere. Phil was truly grateful for that.

"Thank you, again, Skye." Phil reiterated. He knew he'd never be able to thank the young hacker enough for everything she was doing for him. Part of him knew it only served to make him fall even deeper in love with her. Assuming, of course, that was even possible. Extending his elbow to her, he lightly quipped a joke of his own. "Shall we?"

Composing herself, Skye accepted the proffered arm. "We shall." Together the two smiled as they descended the staircase to the lab area where Jemma patiently awaited their arrival at the bottom.

* * *

><p>"Hello, Skye. Agent Coulson." Jemma greeted the pair, brightly, as they reached the lab area. "How are you feeling, Agent Coulson?" She asked, wasting no time before getting down to business. "Still experiencing any nausea?"<p>

"Intermittently." Coulson replied, grinning slightly, at the bio-chemist's eagerness to get to work as he sat upon her examination table with Skye standing by his side.

"It seems to be worse during the overnight hours." Skye supplied, recalling numerous nights that she'd spent with the senior agent where she'd woken in the middle of the night to find Phil gone only to hear retching sounds coming from his en suite bathroom. Those nights, Skye would join him in the bathroom, rubbing his back gently, offering him a cup of water to rinse his mouth when he was done. The team had long since stopped giving her grief over the inappropriate nature of their nights together after Jemma had inexplicably stood up to them on the matter. The truth was, she knew it made Coulson feel better to have Skye near and she would do whatever she could for their friend and mentor. Any of them would. So, she was happy to defend them.

"Yes, well, that's really quite common." Jemma replied, reassuringly as she prepared her equipment. "Now, Agent Coulson, I'm going to need you to lie back and raise your shirt. Just make yourself comfortable."

Phil did as he told, complying with the bio-chemist's orders, laying back on the table as he raised his t-shirt up to his chest, exposing his abdomen. Skye moved, as well, to stand at the head of the table, gently resting her hand on Phil's shoulder.

Turning to face the two operatives before her, Jemma scarcely hid her small smile at the sight. _They really do look every bit the part of the expectant couple._ She thought to herself. And, she wasn't wrong. Except for the role reversal, any on-looker would think that they were just an ordinary couple expecting their first child. Moving that thought to the back burner, Jemma prepared the jelly for Phil's abdomen. "All right, Agent Coulson. This is going to be a bit cold and wet." She warned, as she spread the jelly over the senior agent's abdomen. "Well, then, Agent Coulson…" Jemma smiled, as she took the ultrasound probe into her hand, turning to Skye and Coulson. "Are you ready to see your baby?"

Smiling up at Skye, Phil turned back to Jemma as he replied, simply "Yes."

Lowering the probe onto the senior agent's abdomen, Jemma took a few seconds to adjust it before she found what she'd been looking for as a steady, rhythmic beating could be heard over the monitor speakers. "And, that – lady and gentleman – would be your baby's heartbe-" However, Jemma's face soon took a pensive expression which immediately had both Skye and Coulson on edge.

"What is it?" Phil asked, urgently, propping himself up on his elbows to get a better view.

"What's going on, Jemma?" Skye demanded, subconsciously taking hold of Phil's hand in her own.

"Well…" Jemma began, clearing her throat nervously. "It would appear that we've picked up … two … heartbeats."

"What-two?" Skye questioned, struggling to wrap her mind around the implication of Jemma's response.

"Two heartbeats?" Phil repeated, curiously, switching his gaze back and forth between Skye and Jemma. "Jemma … Are you saying … What I _think _you're saying?" He questioned, carefully, not daring to believe his own ears.

Nodding, Jemma replied "Congratulations, Agent Coulson … You're the proud father-to-be of twins."

Staring up at Skye, Phil knew she'd been just as shell-shocked as he had been by the news. Sensing that, perhaps, the two of them would like a moment alone to discuss what they'd just found, Jemma handed Coulson a towel as she spoke, nervously. "I'll just give the two of you a moment." And, with that, she quickly made an awkward exit.

* * *

><p>Sitting up on the table, Phil wiped himself dry as he continued to wrap his mind around what he'd just been told. <em>Twins?! How is that even possible?!<em> He thought to himself. Five weeks ago, he never would have even thought it would be possible for him to even find himself pregnant. Let alone, pregnant with half-human, half-Asgardian _twins_. "Does this change things?" Skye asked, carefully. Phil knew what she meant. And, it was a tough question. He still _wanted _to keep his children. He just didn't know how he would handle two of them.

"I … I don't know." He confessed, quietly, rubbing the back of his neck, nervously. "I mean … I still _want _my children." Phil added, staring straight ahead without really seeing anything. "I know that much. I just … I don't know if I can handle _two children_…" He conceded, sighing lightly, as he looked up into Skye's beautiful doe eyes, his own baby blues pleading for help.

"Well…" Skye began, pausing to hoist herself up onto the exam table next to Phil, as she took his hand in hers before looking straight into his eyes. "I'll tell you this … From where I'm standing … Nothing changes … I still stand by what I said, earlier … Whatever you need, Phil … I'm there."

Phil Coulson couldn't believe what he was hearing. The woman he loved was still offering to stand by his side – help him raise his children – even though they'd just learned that he'd be raising two babies rather than just the one. She was offering to help him shoulder twice the responsibility he'd initially thought he was up against. "Skye … I can't ask you to do that." He replied, voice shaking ever-so-slightly.

Shrugging casually, Skye asked "Who's asking? … Phil … I'm telling you … If you want to keep those babies – which you have every right to do – then, I'm with you. We're in this together, no matter what, Phil. I am not _about _to let you go through this alone – whether you like it or not." She insisted, smiling warmly.

"Thank you, Skye." Was all Phil could come up with to say. Truly, he had no words for all of the amazing things this remarkable young woman was offering him.

"Hey … That's what I'm here for, AC." Skye offered, hopping off of the table – taking Phil with her – before drawing the shell-shocked father-to-be into her arms.

* * *

><p><em>Everybody's waitin' for you to break down | Everybody's watchin' to see the fall-out | Even when you're sleepin', sleepin' | Keep your ey-eyes open | Keep your ey-eyes open | Keep your ey-eyes open | Keep your ey-eyes<em>

_Keep your feet ready | Heartbeat steady | Keep your eyes open | Keep your aim locked | The night goes dark | Keep your eyes open_

* * *

><p>"Phil, what's going on, here?" Melinda May voiced the question weighing on everyone's mind. Well … Everyone except Skye, Phil, and Jemma.<p>

"I'm sure you all have your questions." Phil conceded, praying that this was the right decision. He knew his team would always have his back. But, this was asking a hell of a lot of them. "And, I intend to answer all of them." He added, drawing a steadying breath as Skye offered him a gentle, reassuring, squeeze of the arm. "The reason I've gathered you all here … is because I have an announcement to make."

"What announcement?" Fitz questioned, brow furrowed curiously.

"As some of you may or … may _not _know … I've not been feeling very well since I returned." Phil began, nervously.

"Is everything okay, sir?" Ward asked, concerned for the well-being of his boss and mentor.

"Well, Agent Ward …" Phil sighed, lightly, turning to the specialist. "I suppose that all depends on the outcome of this meeting." Taking the various confused stares as a cue to elaborate, Phil continued on. "On Skye's insistence, I spoke to Agent Simmons about my symptoms … She ran various tests and determined the cause of the symptoms."

"And?" May pressed, eagerly. "What was it?"

Sighing lightly, Phil decided to go for broke and just rip off the metaphorical band-aid. "I'm pregnant." He announced, allowing the news to hang in the air for a moment while the rest of his team absorbed the full implications of what he was telling them. Watching the rest of his team exchanging various indiscernible glances, Phil waited anxiously for somebody to just say _something _as he subconsciously clung to his beloved hacker's hand. If Skye noticed, she'd chosen not to say anything. For that, Phil was silently grateful. However, that reprieve was short-lived as Fitz was the one to break the heavy silence.

Turning to his lab partner, Fitz blurted out his question. "You can fix this, right?" Those five words seemed to freeze time as Phil stood rooted to the spot as he attempted to process what the engineer had just said. _He can't _possibly _be suggesting what I _think _he's suggesting … Can he? _Phil wondered, dumbfounded, as the engineer spoke again, still staring at Jemma. "Get rid of it? Jemma, you've _got _to fix this!"

"I'm sorry, Fitz-" Jemma began, apologetically, before Skye interrupted.

"Do you even _hear _yourself, right now?!" Skye screeched, furiously. "You're talking about _taking the _**_lives _**of two innocent children-" She fumed, only to be cut off.

"Wait a minute." Ward interjected, confused. "'_Lives_' … '_children_'?!" He repeated, dumbfounded, as the full implications of what Skye was saying set in.

"That's right, Agent Ward." Phil injected, shakily. "Just this afternoon, Agent Simmons examined me and determined that I am actually carrying twins."

"Sir, with all due respect … You can't honestly be considering actually having _two babies_?!" Fitz demanded, staring at the senior agent wildly.

"Is that _really _any more shocking than **you **talking about _murdering _two babies?!" Skye demanded, furiously. The feral look in her eyes reminded the rest of the team of a royally pissed off lioness. They all knew they'd best tread _exceedingly _lightly. "Ya know, I can't _believe _you! Agent Coulson is our boss – our teammate!" She screeched. "More importantly, he's our _friend_! And, he needs our support – now, more than **_ever_** – and you're actually suggesting that he murder his own **_children_**!"

"Skye, with all due respect, I don't think you've fully weighed the entire situation." Ward refuted, calmly. "This is hardly the place to consider raising children." He reasoned.

"So, what?" Skye screeched, still fuming. "They deserve to **_die _**just because this isn't your ideal place for them?"

"It's not just that." Ward countered. "These are _Loki's _children. They're half-human, half-Asgardian. God only knows _what _they'll be capable of! _We _certainly have no way of knowing how dangerous they could be!"

"They're also _Phillip Coulson's_ children!" Skye snapped, venomously. "Yes, one of their fathers may be a psychotic Norse god … But, the other is just a good, honest, decent _human _**_being_**!" She sneered. "Who's to say they'd even be dangerous, at all?! Right now, they're just innocent _babies _that never did shit to anyone!"

"I think we all just need to take a breath, here." Melinda interjected, calmly, hoping to diffuse the situation, as Skye stepped back to Phil's side – chest still heaving angry breaths. "All right?! All this stress isn't doing anybody any good." They all had to admit that she was right about that.

Once the atmosphere had calmed, somewhat, Jemma turned back to Fitz. "I'm sorry, Fitz." She offered, quietly. "But, this really is out of my hands. Even if I _wanted _to terminate Agent Coulson's pregnancy … It's not my decision to make."

"Have you lost your bloody mind?!" Fitz demanded before Skye cut in once more.

"Only Phil can decide what to do about the babies." The young hacker snapped, staring at the engineer in a way that dared him to challenge her.

"She's right." Phil spoke, voice notably more sure of himself. Standing tall, he braced himself for the impending reactions as he announced his decision. "And, I've made my decision." Staring around the table, he added "And, I've decided to keep my children." Having said his peace, Phil quickly took his leave – making his way back to bunk to decompress.

Watching the man that she loved retreating to his bunk – helplessly – Skye turned back to the group before saying her last piece. Staring at Fitz and Ward, in particular, she spoke with venom dripping from every syllable. "Pathetic." Gesturing to the group as a whole, she added "All of you … Completely pathetic." Having said all she cared to say, she turned and went after Phil – leaving the others to gape at each other in shock.

* * *

><p>Entering Phil's bunk, she watched as the senior agent sank down onto the bed with his head in his hands. Aching for the man, she slid the door closed behind her before sinking down next to him, drawing him into her arms. Resting the side of his face against her shoulder, Phil stared at their hands – entwining them in her lap – as he spoke. "I can't believe they'd react that way."<p>

Skye understood where he was coming from. While she'd _hoped _for a more favorable reaction, she'd told herself that this could be a possibility. "I'm so sorry, Phil." She offered, gently. "I'm so sorry for all of this. I don't know what got into them." The young hacktivist offered, massaging his back soothingly. "But, you have to admit … This was just as huge of a bombshell for them as it was for you … I guess I can't be too surprised by their knee-jerk reactions."

Pulling away, slightly, Phil looked up into Skye's eyes as he spoke again. "Are you defending them?" He asked, so quietly and so brokenly that it completely shattered Skye's heart inside of her chest to hear him speak that way. "I thought you said that everyone on this plane was on my side."

"Honestly, Phil …" Skye offered, helplessly. "I thought they were." For the first time in her life, Skye honestly didn't know what to say or do, next. "But, a small part of me still believes that." She offered, gently. "There's still a small part of me that still believes that they're still on your side, Phil … I think they just need some time to adjust to all the changes that are gonna be happening over the next several months – and even later down the road."

Staring into the eyes of the woman he loved, Phil desperately wanted to believe she was right – that the others would all come around, in time. "You really think so?" He asked, hating how vulnerable and exposed he felt, in that moment.

Smiling softly, Skye replied "No." Though, she immediately regretted her attempt at levity when she watched Phil turn away as if he'd been slapped. Gently wrapping her thumb and forefinger around his chin, she carefully guided his gaze back up to meet hers as she spoke, again. "I _know _it." She offered, so adamantly, that Phil had no choice but to believe her.

"Thank you … Skye." The senior agent replied, gratefully, as he curled back up into Skye's arms. Wrapping her arms around the unwitting owner of her heart, Skye could only say a silent prayer that everything would work itself out.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<br>**As always, I hope you all enjoyed this installment. I know the team was a tad out of character, but, I promise … things will get better in later chapters. :D

~Skye Coulson


	10. The Sun Is Rising

**The Wrong Side of Heaven**

**Disclaimer:**

As always … I own nothing.

**Rating:  
><strong>T

**Genre:  
><strong>Romance/Hurt/comfort

**Pairing:  
><strong>Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Britt Nicole "The Sun Is Rising"  
>Luke Bryan "Apologize"<p>

* * *

><p><span>The Sun Is Rising<span>

* * *

><p><em>When life has cut too deep and left you hurting | The future you had hoped for is now burning | And, the dreams you held so tight lost their meaning | And, you don't know if you'll ever find the healing<em>

_You're gonna make it | You're gonna make it | And, the night can only last for so long_

_Whatever you're facing | If your heart is breaking | There is a promise for the ones who just hold on | Lift up your eyes and see | The sun is rising_

_The sun is rising_

* * *

><p>Carefully making their way down the stairs into the cargo bay area, Ward, May, and Fitzsimmons watched from the catwalk as Skye took out all of her anger and frustrations on the punching bag. "Damn." Wad muttered, arms folded over his chest. "I didn't think she had that kinda temper." He added, recalling her words to him in Seville. <em>If I thought it'd help, I'd rage all the time.<em> … Watching her attacking the punching bag, he couldn't help musing to himself. _I guess, sometimes, ya just gotta let it out._

"Neither did I." Jemma added, mesmerized, as she stood transfixed, watching the hacker and the punching bag.

"So, who's first?" Fitz asked, clearly intimidated by the hacker's wrath. The entire group stared at him in unison. "What?" He asked, defensively.

"_You _made this mess." Jemma replied, accusingly.

"I most certainly did _not_!" The engineer whined.

"Excuse me?!" Jemma squeaked. "'You can fix this, right?!' … 'Get rid of it? Jemma, you've got to fix this!' …" The bio-chemist elaborated, repeating the engineer's own words – exactly – from earlier, that afternoon, deliberately using her most obnoxiously over-exaggerated Scottish accent.

"Okay, first of all …" The engineer huffed. "I don't sound _anything _like that …" Getting on with his point, he added "And, secondly … I'm not the only guilty party. Ward's just as guilty as I am!" He whined, pointing at the specialist.

"Hey, I just tried to make sure Coulson thought the entire situation through before making his decision!" Ward shot back, defensively. "_You're _the one that suggested murdering his unborn children!"

Fitz knew the specialist had him, there. Still … The thought of facing Skye's wrath alone scared the hell out of him. And, he had no problems admitting that. "Okay, you've got me, there … But, I'm not going down there, alone. I think we can all agree that none of us were as supportive as we could have been-"

"I _tried _to be supportive!" Jemma interjected, innocently. "But, I kept getting steam-rolled at every turn."

"Guys!" May interjected, finally, breaking the tie. "Fitz is right. I think we should all go down there, together, and apologize." The pilot offered, hoping to have found a solution they could all live with.

"Sounds reasonable to me." Ward replied. _The sooner we get this over with, the better._ He told himself. Eating humble pie wasn't exactly his specialty.

"It's only fair." Jemma conceded, shrugging amicably.

"It's settled, then." Fitz finished, glancing down at the hacker one last time before they all made their descent.

* * *

><p><em>I'm holdin' on your rope | Got me ten feet off the ground | I'm hearin' what ya say | But, I just can't make a sound | Ya tell me that ya need me | Then, ya go and shut me down | But, wait | You tell me that you're sorry | Didn't think I'd turn around | And, say<em>

_That it's too late to apologize | It's too late | It's too late to apologize | It's too late_

* * *

><p>The earbuds in Skye's ears had prevented her from hearing the footsteps descending the staircase or even the ones approaching her from behind. Feeling the tap on her shoulder, she whirled around – her instinctual punch narrowly missing Fitz's jaw only to clip his shoulder as he stumbled back a few steps as Skye yanked the buds out of her ears. Realizing who'd interrupted her therapeutic workout session, she just grumbled as she turned back around to face the punching bag. "Whaddo you guys want?" She ground out, going back to work on the punching bag before Ward bravely reached a hand out to stop her movements.<p>

"We wanted to talk to you about Coulson." The specialist offered, gently.

Eying each member of the group before her, suspiciously, Skye replied "That's low." She spoke in a deceptively calm manner as she turned to face the group, properly. "Cornering me like this. You do realize I'm _not _gonna talk Coulson into your points of view, right? **Especially **_yours_, Fitz!" She spat, pointing an accusing finger at the engineer.

"Nobody's asking you to talk _anybody _into _anything_." Jemma replied, defensively, raising her hands in a pseudo-surrender.

"We wanted to apologize." May added, her voice uncharacteristically gentle. Almost … sincere, even? Skye didn't know quite what to make of it.

"Really?" The young hacktivist asked, suspiciously, moving to a nearby bench to grab her water bottle. Downing a long swallow, she replaced the cap before speaking again. "And, why the sudden change of heart?"

"We've all been doing a lot of thinking-" Ward began, only to be cut off by Fitz.

"-and, talking …" The engineer added, anxiously.

"And, we realized you were right, Skye." The specialist finished out his thought as if the science officer hadn't even spoken. "Coulson didn't need us to question his decision. He needed us to _support_ it." He corrected, his face rightfully full of shame. "And, we let him down."

"Damn right ya did." Skye grumbled, folding her arms, crossly over her chest.

"Anyway … Have you seen Agent Coulson?" Jemma asked, curiously. "We'd really like to talk to him about all of this." She elaborated. "We'd like to let him know that we fully support his decision to keep the babies." Jemma looked, perhaps, the guiltiest of the entire group. "Personally, I always thought it was rather admirable." She added, notably more quietly.

Eying each of the group members, individually, Skye attempted to gauge their sincerity. Sighing, she decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. And, one last chance. "He was pretty mentally exhausted after the way you all _attacked _him, earlier." She added, unable to resist one last dig at their previous actions. "So, I put him to bed." She added, answering their questions. "You'll have to wait 'till morning to make your amends."

Nodding, Jemma replied "Of course. Thank you, Skye."

"Don't thank me, yet." The young hacker warned. "Wait until he actually _forgives _you … Which he probably will … Coulson's a good man like that." She added, hoping to make them feel slightly guiltier if she could. "_Then_, you can thank me."

* * *

><p><em>Every high and every low you're gonna go through | You don't have to be afraid, I am with you | In the moments you're so weak, you feel like stopping | Let the hope you have light the road you're walking<em>

_Your'e gonna make it | You're gonna make it | The night can only last for so long_

_Whatever you're facing | If your heart is breaking | There's a promise for the ones who just hold on | Lift up your eyes and see | The sun is rising_

* * *

><p>The next morning, Skye had awoken early and made her way to down to the galley to begin working on locating a caffeine source. As the coffee began brewing and she'd been halfway through preparing breakfast, she smiled softly as she saw Phil join her in the galley. "Someone's up early." She mused, playfully, as she turned back to the bacon and eggs she had going on the stove.<p>

"Say what you will …" Phil began, only slightly playfully, as he moved to stand next to her at the stove. "But, I've grown accustomed to having you with me … Makes it hard to sleep alone."

Hanging her head, guiltily, Skye finally looked back up at Phil. "Sorry 'bout that." She offered, quietly, before Phil gently rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey … No need to apologize. Got it?" The senior agent offered, gently. "Besides … As you always say … I know where to find you if I need you." He added, with a small smile. "Plus, this morning, you made it rather easy." Phil looked as though he was about to say something else before he lurched over the sink just in time to empty the few contents of his stomach into it's basin.

Forgetting the breakfast on the stove, Skye was at his side in an instant as she instinctively wrapped an arm around his shoulders – massaging his back as she always did when the morning sickness got the better of him. "Hey … You okay?" She asked, worriedly, as she passed him a paper cup to rinse his mouth with.

Gratefully accepting the proffered cup, Phil filled it with water before swirling the water around his mouth and spitting it back out into the sink. "Yeah." He replied, breathlessly. "I think the bacon just got the best of me." He replied.

Suddenly realizing that this would be happening more frequently, Skye realized she should have thought about that, earlier. "Oh my … I'm so sorry, Phil, I didn't even-"

"Don't worry about it." Phil replied, sincerely, cutting off her self-loathing rant. "You can't control what's gonna set it off." He added, smiling slightly.

"Still …" Skye still couldn't escape the guilt at knowing she'd caused the latest bout of nausea. "Is there anything else I get for you?" She offered.

"That's quite all right." Phil replied, dismissively, as he reached for the cinnamon raisin bagels he kept stashed away for special mornings. Prying the slices apart, in his hands, he dropped the bagel into the toaster before turning back to Skye. "I think a bagel and some fresh juice are just what the doctor ordered." He added, before moving to the fridge to retrieve the pineapple orange banana juice he always kept on hand for himself and Skye even though none of the others would even go near it. After Jemma'd very clearly forbidden coffee, it was one of the few true pleasures he had left.

"Okay, then." Skye replied, admitting defeat, as she turned back to her own forgotten breakfast – just getting it off the heat before it burned – as she reached up into the upper cabinet for a plate. Plating up her bacon and eggs while Phil buttered his bagel, the hacktivist then proceeded to join him in the common area.

Their breakfast had carried out rather uneventfully until Skye looked up – an uneasy expression in her beautiful doe eyes as Phil turned to see what she was looking at. Seeing the rest of their team gathered behind him, the same uneasy feeling settled in the pit of his stomach as he vaguely heard the sound of Skye's plate being set aside just before he registered her moving to stand – protectively – between himself and the others.

Understanding what she was trying to do, Ward attempted to placate the hacktivist. "Like we said, last night … We just want to apologize." Skye stayed rooted to the spot a moment longer as Phil rose to stand next to her. Finally, she decided to give the team a chance as she took a step back – standing _next _to Phil, as opposed to directly_ in front _of him.

"Agent Coulson …" Jemma began, rather nervously. "Agents Ward, May, Fitz and myself all had a rather long talk, yesterday – after your big announcement …"

"And, we really feel terrible about the way we reacted." Fitz added, finishing out the bio-chemist's thought before being met with a sharp elbow to the ribs. "Ow!" He muttered, rubbing his sore ribs before amending his statement. "I, myself, am particularly disgusted by my own actions."

"We realized that … You didn't need us to _question _your decision." Ward added in his own apology. "You weren't even asking us to _understand _it." He conceded. "You just needed us to _support _it." The specialist added, bowing his head, shamefully.

"Phil." May spoke, finally breaking her silence. "We just want you to know that … We think what you're doing is extremely noble. And we respect your decision."

"We also wanted you to know that … Whatever you need … We're here for you." Ward added, a warm sincerity to his voice that even surprised Skye. "We support you, no matter what."

"And, once again, I'm terribly sorry for suggesting terminating the pregnancy." Fitz reiterated, his own guilty look set firmly in place.

Phil honestly didn't know what to do with the sudden apologies. Turning to Skye, he voiced his question. "Did you do this?" He asked, curiously, unable to comprehend the sudden one-eighty from his team.

Raising her hands in a mock-surrender, Skye replied "Don't look at me." Sighing lightly, she dropped her hands as she crossed her arms, loosely. "But … They did come to me in the gym, last night. Told me they wanted to apologize to you for their reactions, yesterday." She confessed, finally.

Looking from one agent to the other, Phil attempted to gauge each of their sincerity. Sighing, he saw no signs of deceit in any of them. "Well, I appreciate that." He spoke, finally. "And, I appreciate all of your support. It really does mean a lot to know that you support my decision." Each of the team members – even May and Ward – took turns offering Coulson a supportive hug before going their separate ways. Turning back to Skye, Phil spoke again as he returned to his previous seat. "So … How long have you known they were planning that?" He wondered, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Picking her plate back up off of the coffee table, Skye picked at the remaining eggs as she used her free hand to absently play with the last strip or two of bacon. "They … approached me, in the gym, last night. It was just after you'd gone to sleep. I couldn't sleep – I was still too pissed off at _them –_ so, I was taking it all out on the punching bag …" She confessed, quietly.

Setting his own forgotten left overs aside, Phil moved to join Skye on the loveseat. "Well … I'm glad you were right … They came around, after all …"

Grinning not unlike the Cheshire Cat, Skye asked, playfully "You sound surprised?"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

As always, I hope you enjoyed this little installment. I really enjoyed writing protective!Skye … And, I just couldn't wait to get on with the team's apologies. I thought it was high-time they got their acts together and started supporting Coulson like Skye does. Lol. Anywho … Don't forget to leave me a review!

~Skye Coulson


	11. When You Tell Me I'm Never Alone

**The Wrong Side of Heaven**

**Disclaimer:  
><strong>As always … I own nothing.

**Rating:  
><strong>T

**Genre:  
><strong>Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing:  
><strong>Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Darling Parade "With You"  
>Creed "My Own Prison"<p>

* * *

><p><span>When You Tell Me I'm Never Alone<span>

* * *

><p><em>You said it yourself | I've got nothing to prove | Feels impossible, so unthinkable | I'm falling for you<em>

_Wasted my time | Standing at the back of the line | All my words are stuck | I can't get enough | I'm falling for you_

_And, I don't know | How love's supposed to go_

_With you, I know | There's no letting go | When you tell me I'm never alone | And, I know in my heart that I'm finally home | With you, I'm finally home_

_I was never the best at holding my breath | I was stuck on the sidelines with no regrets | But, you saw me differently | Right from the start | There's no competition | I'm all that you want_

_With you, I know | There's no letting go | When you tell me I'm never alone | And, I know in my heart that I'm finally home | With you, I'm finally home_

* * *

><p>Three months. Three months had gone by since the day Phil Coulson's world changed. Three months ago, he'd learned he'd be the father of twin infants. Today, he would learn if he would the father of two daughters, two sons, or – if he had his way – one of each. "You ready?" Skye asked, smiling softly at the distant look in Phil's eyes as she stood in the doorway of his office.<p>

Rising from the desk, Phil crossed the room to where she stood. "Absolutely." He replied, extending his elbow to her. "Shall we?"

Grinning slightly, Skye accepted the proffered elbow as she replied "We shall." Leaving the office, the two of them made their way down to the lab where Jemma waited for their arrival.

"Why d'you always insist on throwing me out of the lab every time you do one of Agent Coulson's ultrasounds?" Leo whined as Jemma all but shoved him out of the lab area.

"I've already _told _you, Fitz." Jemma replied, clearly exasperated by the engineer's stubbornness. "This is a highly private moment for Agent Coulson-"

"Then, why does Skye get to stay?" The engineer pointed out, petulantly.

"Because Agent Coulson wants her there." Jemma replied, pointedly, leaving no room for argument. "Besides, you've seen the way they look at each other. It might as well be _their _twins I'm examining. Skye's practically their mother." She added, as more of an afterthought. "She's certainly the closest thing they'll ever know to a mother-figure."

"So?" Leo whined, childishly. "I'm practically their … uncle … or something." He argued, weakly. "I can just hear them calling me 'Uncle Leo'."

"Yes, well …" Jemma replied, forcing Leo out the door. "Until I hear those exact words from their little mouths … Out with you."

Knowing when to admit defeat, Leo just huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest, taking his leave as Skye and Coulson descended the staircase. "Wonder what's got his panties in a twist?" Skye asked, curiously, watching the engineer storm off.

"Knowing Fitz?" Coulson replied, playfully. "I don't think we wanna know." Skye merely hummed thoughtfully in response as they joined Jemma in the lab.

"Good morning, Skye." Jemma greeted, smiling brightly. "Agent Coulson." She added, extending the same warm greeting to her patient. "How are you feeling, this morning?"

"Okay, I suppose." Phil shrugged. "The morning sickness seems to be getting a little more under control. That's definitely a plus." He added as both Skye and Jemma hummed thoughtfully.

"It certainly is." The bio-chemist smiled as she finished setting up her equipment. "Well then, Agent Coulson … Are you ready to find out the sexes of your babies?" She asked, excitedly.

Sharing an anxious glance with Skye, Phil gripped the young hacktivist's hand lightly as he turned back to Jemma. "Definitely." He replied – his excitement and nerves reflected in his baby blue eyes.

"All right, then." Jemma replied, as Phil raised his baggy hooded sweatshirt in preparation for the ultrasound examination. Leaning back, he absently ran his hand over his rounded stomach. Some days he still couldn't believe how big he was, already. Of course, he knew his 'bump' would always be bigger than he expected. It was just part of the package when carrying twins. But, he already looked like an expectant mother of one during her third trimester and he'd only just begun his second. However, he was soon pulled from his reverie as Jemma smeared the familiar cold jelly that always preceded an ultrasound. Shifting the probe around, she soon found the images of his developing children. The sight still brought a tear to his eye. He couldn't believe he was looking at his own unborn children. "All right, lady and gentleman." Jemma spoke, excitedly. "And the verdict is …" Jemma began, positioning the probe to get a better view. "Baby A is a rather dashing little baby boy." She declared, proudly, smiling warmly at Skye and Coulson.

"A boy?" Coulson breathed, staring at the screen before him in shock as an excited smile spread like wildfire across his face before he looked up at Skye who looked back at him with just as much joy on her face before squeezing his hand gently.

"Yep." Jemma replied, Phil's infectious smile catching on her own face. "Would you like to know the sex of Baby B?" She asked, knowing the answer perfectly well.

"Yeah." Skye replied, an uncontrollable smile spreading on her own face as tears of joy welled up in her doe eyes.

"Yes." Coulson breathed, excitedly.

"All right, then." Jemma replied, shifting the probe slightly to get a better view of the remaining baby. "Baby B …" She began, turning back to the expectant pseudo-couple as she finished her thought. " … is a beautiful little baby girl."

"A girl?" Skye repeated, her voice shaking with excitement as she and Coulson shared in the joy of the discovery.

As much as Jemma wanted to let them enjoy their moment, her curiosity was getting the better of her. "I'm sorry … I just have to ask … Have you thought about names at all, yet?"

Sharing a knowing look with Skye, Phil decided to announce his decision on the subject of names. "Actually, I have." He confessed, smiling uncontrollably. "For the boy … I've decided on Anders Garrison Coulson." He began. "'Anders' is Greek for 'warrior' and 'Garrison' is German for 'strong'." He elaborated, staring at his children on the screen.

"Both very fitting names for a Coulson." Jemma acknowledged, warmly.

"And, for my little girl …" Phil began. "I decided on the name 'Andreya'. 'Andreya' also means 'warrior' in Greek." He elaborated, defending his choice of names. "As for her middle name, I was torn between two choices … I thought of naming her after Skye – for everything that Skye's done for me since I was taken." Jemma couldn't help feeling a little misty-eyed at the sentiment between her friend and teammate and their friend and mentor. The two of them were obviously meant for one another. _It's just such a shame that they're the only ones that don't see it … _The bio-chemist thought to herself as the senior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent spoke again. "But, I've also always loved the name 'Rose' …" He added, thoughtfully. "But, Skye had the perfect solution." He added, looking up at the hacker as Jemma passed him a towel to wipe the ultrasound jelly off of his belly as he sat up on the table.

"I suggested using both and hyphenating her middle name." Skye added, elaborating on Phil's thought.

"So, my little girl's name will be Andreya Skye-Rose Coulson." Phil finished, smiling proudly.

"That is too perfect." Jemma cooed, clasping her hands together, excitedly. "A child as unique as Andreya deserves a unique name." She added, as an afterthought, before leaving her friends alone to discuss their most recent test results. "Well, I'm going to fill Fitz in on the news – if that all right with you, of course." She quickly amended, realizing that Coulson might want to give the team the news, himself. "He's already so put-out that I wouldn't let him stay for the ultrasound. I was hoping this news might cheer him up, a bit." She offered, hopefully.

Chuckling lightly, Phil replied "Of course that's all right, Jemma." He responded, waving the bio-chemist out of the lab. "Be my guest."

"Thank you so much, Agent Coulson." Jemma replied, gratefully, bounding out of the lab in search of the petulant engineer.

* * *

><p>Chuckling lightly at the bio-chemist's enthusiasm, Skye reached over to help Phil down from the exam table. "She sure is excitable, isn't she?" The young hacktivist mused, thoughtfully, until she noticed the concerned – if not somewhat confused – and pensive expression on Coulson's face. "Phil? … What's goin' on? … Is everything okay?" She asked, her voice immediately notably more worried than it had been, moments ago.<p>

"Yes, of course." Phil replied, absently. "It's just that …" He began, hesitantly, before sighing as he continued onward. " … Don't get me wrong. Words cannot even _begin _to describe how grateful I am to you for all that you've done for me, Skye. For everything. You've been … So amazing. You've definitely gone above and beyond the call of duty." He added, recalling all the nights the hacker had spent with him – all of the nightmares her mere presence in his bed at night had warded off. And, the nightmares she comforted him afterward when she'd failed to prevent them. "But, I just …" He continued, frustrated at his lack of words to express what he wanted to ask. "I'm usually not one to look a gift horse in the mouth … But … I have to know. Why?" He asked, lost and confused. "Why are you being so … Incredible? I mean, you don't owe me anything-"

"Okay, I'm gonna stop you right there … AC …" Skye began, gently, halting the self-deprecating speech she heard coming. "Because you're wrong. I owe you _everything_. I mean – for crying out loud – you gave me a chance when the rest of the team was _begging _you not to. When you had every _reason _not to – even after I betrayed all of you with Miles." She confessed, guiltily. "You still saw value in me that nobody else ever has. But … That's … That's not really the main reason for everything I've done for you, recently." Taking in the curious tilt of the senior agent's head, Skye took a deep, steadying breath. _Now or never, Skye. _She told herself, bracing herself for whatever reaction she may receive. _He deserves to know … Right? _She thought, nervously. _I mean people _**_love _**_hearing people say that they love them … Don't they?_

"It isn't?" Phil asked, curiously. Deep down, he knew what he _hoped _the reason would be. He just didn't dare actually ask for it.

"The truth is …" Skye replied, releasing a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. "The truth is … Phil … I'minlovewithyou." She confessed, all in a rush, on a heavy sigh.

As his mind digested what he'd just heard, Phil didn't dare hope that he'd _actually _heard what he'd _thought _he'd heard. _It can't be … Can it?_ He wondered, hopefully. _She didn't just say that she's in love with me … Did she?_ The senior agent thought to himself as his mind attempted to break down the rushed confession. "I … I'm sorry?" He asked, prompting the hacker to repeat herself. "I-I … didn't quite catch that."

Releasing another cleansing breath, Skye repeated herself, more slowly, this time. "I said … I'm in love with you." She repeated her confession, bracing herself for the impending rejection.

Phil, for his part, stood – shell-shocked – as he processed the information. _I don't believe it … Skye's in love with me?! _He thought to himself as the realization that the woman who'd unknowingly stolen his heart actually reciprocated his feelings. However, Phil soon realized that he'd remained silent too long as Skye began to speak, once more.

"Not that I expect you to reciprocate … or anything." Skye quickly added. "I just … Thought you had a right to know … Ya know?" She offered, lamely, as she rubbed the back of her neck, nervously.

Smiling softly, Phil lightly gripped the hackers' hands in his own as he spoke. "I do … I _do _know …" He replied, gently, staring straight into the doe eyes that he'd fallen in love with the moment he first laid eyes on them. "And I _do _return your feelings."

_Whoa!_ Skye thought to herself, awestruck, as Phil responded to her confession. _He actually returns my feelings for him? … Is this a dream?_ She wondered, silently. The thought of pinching herself to find out crossed her mind, but, she didn't dare remove her hands from Phil's. Their hands just fit together so perfectly – like two puzzle pieces coming together. She didn't dare shatter that dream. "Y-you … _do_?" She questioned, dumbly.

"Yes." Phil replied. "Skye … I fell in love with you the moment I first laid eyes on you. Granted, we may not have met under ideal circumstances …" He conceded, lightly, recalling how he'd first met the owner of his heart. "But, the moment we met, I knew … I wanted to know everything about you. And, as I _did _get to know you … I soon realized that … I never wanted to live another day _without _you." He confessed, allowing his vulnerability to show through for the first time in _years_. "Skye … I love you."

Skye couldn't believe she was finally hearing the three words she'd ached to hear her entire life. She couldn't believe – after twenty-four years – she'd finally found someone to say 'I love you'. It was a feeling that only intensified as she realized that the feeling was mutual. "I love you, too." She replied, joyful tears clouding her vision as her voice shook with raw emotion before she drew Phil into a hug – the embrace made only semi-awkward by his rounded belly.

* * *

><p><em>I hear a thunder in the distance | See a vision of a cross | I feel the pain that was given | On that sad day of loss | A lion roars in the darkness | Only he holds the key | A light to free me from my burden | And, grant me life eternally<em>

_I cry out to God | Seeking only His decision | Gabriel stands and confirms | I've created my own prison | I cry out to God | Seeking only His decision | Gabriel stand and confirms | I've created my own prison_

* * *

><p>Holding the woman he loved close, Phil couldn't imagine anything ruining this perfect moment. But, he really should have known that the universe would always have a way to ruin his happiness. Alarms sounded as the wind roared through the cargo bay area as the ramp suddenly lowered. "Skye?!" A loud, familiar, voice boomed throughout the lab.<p>

Turning toward the source of the noise, Phil was dumbfounded as the god of thunder, himself, strolled into the lab. By the look on his face, he was clearly on a mission. What had him worried, however, was the way that his stare seemed fixated on Skye. "Uh … Yeah?" Skye replied, confused. "What's going on?" She asked.

Before he could answer the hacktivist's question, however, Thor's gaze was soon drawn to the senior agent. "Son of Coul?" He breathed, dumbfounded by the presence of the man he'd long thought dead. "Is it truly you?" He asked, not daring to believe his eyes.

"It is." Phil began, subconsciously moving to stand – protectively – in front of the young hacker. "What are you doing here, Thor?" He asked, his voice all business before he amended his statement. "Not that it isn't good to see you."

Nodding his understanding, Thor returned his attention to Skye. "I am here for the young woman known as Skye." Thor boomed. "I have been sent by the All-Father to bring her back to Asgard to stand trial."

"Trial?!" Skye screeched, confused by the god's statement. "What the hell are you _talking _about?!" She demanded.

"What 'trial'?!" Phil demanded, not letting Skye go without answers.

"For the murder of my brother." Thor replied, grimly. "I searched for Loki for some time, after he escaped prison in Asgard. When I took his dead body back home, it was determined that he had died at the hands of this young woman." He elaborated, pointing directly at Skye who merely rolled her eyes at the accusation.

"Of course he did." The hacker replied, snidely. "That tends to happen when someone kidnaps the man I love!" She shot back, though, Thor seemed to be having none of it as he all but shoved the senior agent in front of her aside – rather unceremoniously. "Hey! Watch it!" She snapped before she felt a pair of solid iron cuffs closing around her wrists. "What the hell?!" She demanded, struggling against the Asgardian restraints.

"Thor, would you just _wait _a moment?!" Phil begged, desperately, standing in the god's path in order to force his attention on him. "Skye only acted in my defense-"

"The All-Father's orders were quite clear." Thor argued, shoving past the agent as he dragged Skye along by her restraints. "She is to stand trial in Asgard. If the decision finds in her favor, she will be returned to you, unharmed, with our sincerest apologies." He elaborated, wrapping Skye securely in his arms before disappearing out of the open cargo ramp.

Dumbfounded, Phil simply stood, rooted to the spot, as he stared at the cargo bay ramp as it rose to a closed position. _I don't believe it. _He thought to himself, stunned by what had just happened. _I finally have Skye. To hear her tell me she loves me … Only to have her ripped from my arms and stolen away to _**_Asgard_**_ to stand _**_trial _**_for killing my rapist. _He thought to himself, silently, as he thought of the injustice of the whole situation as he subconsciously rubbed a hand over his belly – feeling one of the babies kicking against his stomach. Even _they _knew how ridiculous the whole mess was.

"Coulson!" Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he heard Ward shouting his name as the rest of the team appeared in the lab. "Coulson!" The specialist called, again, standing in front of the senior agent as he lightly gripped the man's shoulders in his attempts to snap him out of thoughts. "Are you okay?!" He asked, worriedly, visually checking his boss over.

"We got the alarm that someone opened the cargo ramp," May added, unreadable as always to the untrained eye. But, the team could see the worry written in her mysterious eyes.

"Where's Skye?" Fitz questioned, alarmed by the hacker's absence.

"She's gone." Phil replied, weakly, staring past Ward to where Thor had disappeared with Skye, in tow.

"Gone?" Jemma repeated, shocked. "What do you mean 'she's gone'?!"

"Thor took her." Phil replied, in the same haunting tone from before. Clearing his throat, he snapped himself out of his reverie before focusing his attention on his team. Wallowing in his misery wouldn't help them get Skye back. His team _would_.

"Thor?!" Fitz questioned, confused. "I don't understand. I thought he was a friendly. Why would _he _take Skye?!"

"He said he'd received orders from the All-Father to bring her back to Asgard to strand trial." Phil's voice had gone from lost and broken to angry and venomous. It was just as terrifying and haunting to his team as his previous tone.

"Stand trial for what?!" Ward questioned, just as confused as the rest of the team.

"For Loki's murder." Phil spat, as if the words, themselves, left a foul taste in his mouth.

"That's absurd." May spat, almost as angrily as Coulson.

"We all know Skye only killed Loki to protect you." Jemma argued, at a loss for why Skye had been stolen from them.

"_We _do." Phil corrected. "But, apparently, Odin doesn't." He added, furious at the thought of his beloved hacker being treated like a common criminal. Though, deep down, he was terrified at the thought of going through the rest of his pregnancy without Skye by his side. She'd always been the rock he'd clung to through the storm. He didn't know what he'd do without her.

"We'll get her back." Ward swore, firmly. He was equally worried about how his boss and friend would cope without the young hacktivist by his side. _We do our jobs right, he'll never have to find out._ He thought to himself, setting his jaw. Looking around the group, he knew they were all just as determined to get their hacker back.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<br>**Okay, I know Thor was pretty OOC. But, I'm hoping to remedy that in future chapters. In the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. And, I hope you'll stick with me and continue to read and review!

~Skye Coulson


	12. Shackled By My Sentence

**The Wrong Side of Heaven**

**Disclaimer:  
><strong>As always … I own nothing!

**Rating:  
><strong>T

**Genre:  
><strong>Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing:  
><strong>Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Creed "My Own Prison"  
>Vixen "Love Is A Killer"<br>Shakira (feat Blake Shelton) "Medicine"

* * *

><p><span>Shackled By My Sentence<span>

* * *

><p><em>A court is in session, a verdict is in | No appeal on the docket, today | Just my own sin | The walls are cold and pale | The cage made of steel | Screams fill the room | Alone, I drop and kneel | Silence, now, the sound | My breath the only motion around | Demons cluttering around | My face showing no emotion | Shackled by my sentence | Expecting no return | Here, there is no penance | My skin begins to burn<em>

_(And, I said oh) So, I held my head up high | Hiding hate that burns inside | Which only fuels their selfish pride | (And, I said oh) We're held captive | Out from the sun | A sun that shines on only some | We, the meek, are all in one_

* * *

><p>As the bi-frost dropped them in Asgard, Thor and Skye both remained completely silent as Thor marched her through the castle and down to the dungeon area. As she was paraded through the dungeons, Skye couldn't help the creepy vibes she felt coursing through her body as she took in the sights of the various alien creatures in the cells around her. <em>Oh, yeah … I <em>sooo _belong in here with _**_these _**_freaks. _She thought to herself, sarcastically. Her heart still broke when she thought of the pain and terror in Phil's piercing blue eyes as she was ripped from his arms – just before Thor disappeared out of the plane with her in tow. Finally, as Thor unceremoniously threw her into the empty cell at the end of the cell block, she took the opportunity to take in her surroundings. _Gotta admit … As far as _**_prisons _**_go … I could definitely do worse._ She thought to herself as she took in the brilliant white walls and gold trimming around the windows of her cell.

"A member of the court shall inform you once your trial has been arranged." Thor told her, his voice dead – void of all emotion or compassion. _This is bullshit. _Skye thought to herself, angrily. _I thought this guy was supposed to be Phil's _friend_ … I would have thought that meant that he'd be _glad _to see the bastard that tortured and raped Coulson, dead. _She continued her inner monologue – refusing to speak a word until she was freed, or at the trial at the very least – as she watched Thor take off down the long hallway.

* * *

><p><em>Love is a killer | A homicidal fiend | Love is a killer | It'll be the death of me | I got a target on my back | For a Cupid dressed in black | Love is a killer | It's killing me<br>Love so sweetly beckoning | I've seen your face | Called your name | I tasted tears you cried | Lived in shadows in my mind | Frozen in time | Don't leave me here to die_

* * *

><p>Phil Coulson sat on his bed, with his feet up, absently rubbing his rounded stomach as he remained haunted by the events of earlier that afternoon.<p>

_Releasing another cleansing breath, Skye repeated herself, more slowly, this time. "I said … I'm in love with you." … "Not that I expect you to reciprocate … or anything." Skye quickly added. "I just … Thought you had a right to know … Ya know?" She offered, lamely, as she rubbed the back of her neck, nervously._

_"Skye … I fell in love with you the moment I first laid eyes on you. Granted, we may not have met under ideal circumstances …" He conceded, lightly, recalling how he'd first met the owner of his heart. "But, the moment we met, I knew … I wanted to know everything about you. And, as I did get to know you … I soon realized that … I never wanted to live another day without you." He confessed, allowing his vulnerability to show through for the first time in years. "Skye … I love you."_

The senior agent was soon pulled from his reverie, however, by the sound of his pilot calling his name. "You okay?" Melinda May asked, gently, crossing the room to sit next to Phil, on the edge of the bed. When Phil remained silent, the usually stoic pilot reached out to lay her hand over Phil's on his lap. She could appreciate that this situation was particularly difficult on the senior agent. The whole team knew how in love the hacktivist and the agent were. Sighing lightly, she tried to offer what little comfort she could to her old friend. "We'll get her back."

Finally, those words seemed to get through to Phil as he slowly turned to face the pilot. "She said it." He replied, his voice weak and tired. The emotional exhaustion in his voice was mirrored in his brilliant blue orbs. "She finally told me she loved me." The weak voice shattered even Melinda May's famous heart of ice. Clamping her eyes shut, she refused to allow Phil to see the emotional toll this took on her, as well. _He's got enough to worry about. _ She told herself, relying on the thick skin she'd spent her entire life building to conceal her emotions. _He doesn't need to concern himself with _my _weakness._

"All the more reason we'll find her." May reiterated, hoping to provide her old friend with at least a shred of peace of mind.

Lowering his gaze to his midsection, he thoughtfully rubbed the swollen surface as he spoke again. "She also promised she'd be there, with me, when I have the babies." The senior agent mused, recalling one night when he'd been the victim of his own insecurities. Skye had assured him that he would _not _be alone – that _she _would be with him he gave birth to his children. Looking back up to May, he voiced his concern. "What if we don't get her back in time?"

"I know Skye." May countered, giving the senior agent's hand a gentle squeeze. "When she makes a promise … She moves Heaven and Earth to keep it." She assured her old friend with a small, barely-there, supportive smile.

"What if sh-sh-she _can't_?" Phil stammered, his voice quiet and broken, trembling with the storm of emotions raging through his body from the moment his beloved hacker had been stolen from him.

"She will." May repeated, hoping to share a piece of her own confidence with the expectant father-to-be. However, Phil remained silent as he withdrew his hand from Melinda's before sliding further under the covers – drawing the sheets and comforter up to his chin – before rolling over onto his side, away from the pilot. Sensing her cue to leave, Melinda just sighed lightly as she silently rose to her feet, crossing the room to the doorway. Pausing at the threshold, she watched over her friend and boss as she turned out the light and quiet slid the door shut.

Hearing the latch set, Phil finally allowed the tears he'd been holding in to fall freely down his face as he clutched the pillow Skye always slept on close to his chest. Inhaling deeply, his heart shattered all over again when he noticed that it still smelled faintly of her cherry blossom shampoo and conditioner. He desperately _wanted _to believe May that they would get Skye back before the babies came. He just couldn't see how she could be so sure.

* * *

><p><em>Four Weeks Later<em>

* * *

><p><em>I hear a thunder in the distance | See a vision of a cross | I feel the pain that was given | On that sad day of loss | A lion roars in the darkness | Only he holds the key | A light to free me from my burden | And, grant me life eternally<em>

_(And, I said oh) So I held my head up high | Hiding hate that burns inside | Which only fuels their selfish pride | (And, I said oh) We're held captive | Out from the sun | A sun that shines on only some | We, the meek, are all in one_

* * *

><p>One month. Four long weeks had passed since she'd been so unceremoniously thrown into this cell like a common criminal. Four weeks since she'd seen the man that had run away with her heart. The same man that loved her in return. She couldn't help wondering how Phil was coping in her absence. She could only hope and pray that he was okay. She knew the team would rally around him – provide him whatever support and comfort they could. All she could do was to hope and pray that it would be enough. She was soon pulled from her reverie when she heard the painfully familiar sound of someone entering her cell. During the first few days, she'd dared to allow herself to believe that someone had finally come to their senses and was there to let her go free. But, those hopes were all-too-quickly dashed as she soon learned that it was just someone bringing her the obligatory meal or to further interrogate her in regards to the 'murder' of Loki Odinson. Anymore, she didn't even bother to look up or acknowledge her visitors in any way. They were never the visitor she actually <em>wanted <em>to see. So, why bother?

"I understand you've been rather uncooperative with the attempts to ask you questions regarding Loki's death." The voice that spoke was surprisingly familiar. But, she still didn't see a need to acknowledge the warrior's presence. _Not like she's gonna help me any more than anybody else has._ The hacker thought to herself, hopelessly. When the mortal still refused to speak, Sif crossed the room to stand directly in front of her before crouching down to sit on the floor, resting her arms on her knees – mirroring the sullen mortal's pose. "I get it." She offered, dropping the formality from her voice. "I understand the _why_." Sif conceded. "But, what I don't understand … Is how a mortal, such as yourself, was able to kill an Asgardian such as Loki."

That question caught Skye's attention. Or perhaps it was the tone with which the question had been asked. It wasn't accusing like all the others had been. Instead, it was more curious than anything else. Intrigued, Skye decided to break her silence as she broke down and answered the warrior's question if – for no other reason than – just to see where it led. "You'd be amazed what you're capable of when the man you love is being raped and tortured." She offered, simply, resting her chin on the arms she crossed over her knees – the top of her head bouncing with every word that she spoke.

_Well, that was certainly _not _what I'd expected._ Sif thought to herself, impressed by the prisoner's response. "The man you love?" She questioned, curiously.

Sighing, Skye replied "Agent Coulson-"

"The Son of Coul was assaulted by Loki?" Sif interjected, dumbfounded by the revelation.

"You're telling me you didn't know?!" Skye demanded, shifting to tuck her legs underneath her as she leaned in closer to Sif.

"I did _not_." Sif confessed, guiltily. "What did Loki do to him?"

Snorting derisively, Skye replied "Better question is 'What _didn't _he do to him?' …" Sighing lightly, the hacktivist realized this might be her chance to clear her name and maybe – just _maybe –_ get back home to Phil. "Coulson told me things … After we brought him home. … He told me that Loki took on the form of me and the rest of our team as he raped him … hundreds of times." The hacker's voice was so dark and heavy, the warrior ached for everything the Son of Coul had been through at the trickster's hands. "And about … five or six months ago … Phil found out … that he was pregnant with Loki's twins."

"The Son of Coul is with child?" Sif questioned, suddenly realizing that this may be the mortal's chance to prove her innocence. _Personally, I don't even see why the All-Father insisted on this charade, in the first place. The woman deserves a _medal_ not a prison sentence._ She thought to herself, silently.

"Twins." Skye repeated, frustrated at not being heard. "Which is _why _I'm so pissed off at being here! I swore to Phil that I would _be _there with him when he has the babies. But, I can't _do _that if I'm stuck _here _in this damn circus!" The hacker screeched, her chest heaving angrily as she furiously raked her hands through her hair – angry, hurt, frustrated tears streaming down her face as her voice cracked and broke. "I _can't _let him down." Sniffing, she added, far more brokenly. "I just … I can't."

Watching the mortal finally break down in front of her, Sif could physically _feel _the raw vulnerability and sheer honesty pouring off of her in waves. This woman was telling the truth. She was _not _a cold-blooded killer – unlike the man she'd been accused of murdering. And, Sif was going to help her prove it. Shifting closer to the mortal, the warrior reached out to wrap her arm around the woman's shoulders – in an uncharacteristically compassionate act – as she spoke again. "I believe you." She spoke with a soft genuine voice that she was fairly certain she'd never used around anyone else, before. Watching the mortal snap her head up to look at her in bewilderment, she spoke again. "You are not a murder, Skye – Loki may have been …" She conceded, earning a small, watery smile from the mortal. "But, _you _… are _not_." Setting her jaw, the warrior finished her thought. "And, I intend to help you prove it."

"Really?" Skye asked, smiling at the first glimmer of hope she'd been given in the month that she'd been there.

Smiling gently, Sif replied "Of course. I _never _thought you belonged in this cell, to begin with!"

"You didn't?!" Skye asked, excitedly, finally feeling like she might have a shot at getting out of this cell, after all.

"Of course not. Loki finally got his comeuppance." Sif replied, cheekily. "The way I see it, you deserve a feast held in your honor … Not a prison sentence."

Chuckling lightly, Skye assured her "I don't need a feast. … My freedom will be more than enough." She finished, a more serious tone to her voice.

"And, I intend to see that you get it." Sif replied, all joking aside. "But, first I must warn you. … You told me you swore to be present at the birth of the Son of Coul's twins. But, time is not on your side."

"What do you mean?!" Skye asked, suddenly far more worried than she had been mere moments ago. "What are you talking about?!" She demanded, almost frantically.

"Time passes much faster here, in Asgard, than it does on Midgard." Sif explained, her voice warning. "One Asgardian week is equivalent to a Midgardian _month_."

"Oh god …" Skye breathed, covering her mouth with her hand. "That would mean that Phil's _eight months along_, already." She deduced, running through the math in her head.

"Which is why it is so imperative that I work quickly." Sif replied, already rising from her place on the floor, swiftly exiting the cell, leaving a terrified, confused, and hopeful hacktivist in her wake.

* * *

><p><em>Four Months Ago<em>

* * *

><p><em>Love is a killer | A homicidal fiend | Love is a killer | It'll be the death of me | I got a target on my back | For a Cupid dressed in black | Love is a killer | It's killing me<em>

* * *

><p>"Thank you for coming." Melinda greeted, ushering an old friend through the depths of The Bus back to her bunk.<p>

"You made it sound urgent." Her visitor quipped, curiously. Truthfully, she was baffled as to what sort of situation could require her expertise, specifically.

"It is." May responded, sliding the door to her bunk closed before securing the lock.

"I have to ask, May …" The red-headed visitor replied, curiously. "Of all the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents you could have called … Why me?"

"Because, Romanoff … I needed somebody I could trust." The pilot replied, her voice sounding uncharacteristically tired. "But, more than that … I needed someone as close to Coulson as I am."

"As you _are_?!" The red-headed assassin repeated, baffled. "May, you _do _understand that Agent Coulson was killed in action just before the battle of New York." Natasha Romanoff countered, confused.

"I'm aware that's what was written on the official reports, yes." May corrected, cryptically. "However, _this _is the reality." She added, flipping on the TV monitor above her bed. On the screen was a live feed of Coulson's bunk.

Staring at the footage on the monitor, Natasha didn't dare to believe her eyes. "What kind of prank are you _running_?!" She demanded, dangerously, advancing on the pilot until she had her back up into the bed where she fell back on the mattress.

"It's no prank." May deadpanned, knowing full-well she didn't have time for games. "Coulson's alive. … And, he needs our help."

"What happened to him?" Natasha asked, curiously, noting the senior's agent's swollen abdomen.

_Knew she'd pick up on that._ May thought to herself, realizing she'd made the right call, involving the Avenger. "He got pregnant." She replied, flatly.

"The hell are you talking about?!" Natasha demanded, whirling her head around to face the pilot.

"Several months ago … Loki resurfaced-" May began, recalling the story of how Coulson had been raped and tortured, before she was cut off by the assassin.

"Why weren't we apprised of the situation?" Romanoff demanded.

"We didn't have a lot of time for courtesy calls." May snapped, eager to get down to business. "Loki appeared numerous times to a member of our team – an agent in training by the name of Skye. Skye told us that Loki wouldn't go into details but told her that 'he _liked _her' and that she would provide him a fine heir." She added, disgust dripping from her voice. "Finally, when Loki came to collect Skye, Coulson refused to let her be taken. So, he offered himself up in her place."

"He just gave himself up?" Natasha questioned, confused. _That doesn't sound right … _She thought to herself, attempting to process the situation. "Just like that?"

"Just like that." May repeated, simply. "When it comes to Skye … Coulson does a _lot _of things that don't make much – if any – sense to anyone other than himself." She mused, seeming to read the assassin's thoughts. "Loki had him for a total of three days." Having said her personal piece, May got back to business with her informal briefing. "During that time, Loki used him as his own personal sex slave – raping him hundreds of times before we were able to locate and retrieve him."

"So … What, exactly, is it that you need my help with?" Natasha questioned, curiously.

"Just yesterday, Thor showed up to arrest Skye for Loki's murder." The pilot deadpanned, stoically.

"Thor _arrested _her?!" Natasha repeated, dumbfounded. _That _definitely _doesn't sound right … _ She mused, listening to all that May had to tell her.

"We thought it was bullshit, too." May replied, the slightest hints of a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

"But, why her?" Nat questioned, hoping to get to the bottom of the situation.

"Because, ultimately, Skye was the one to kill Loki." May replied, simply.

"Damn." The assassin mused, impressed that a single trainee managed to accomplish a task that all of the Avengers combined had not done.

"Oh, yes." May mused, playfully. "She's _that _good. … She jumped on his shoulders and emptied an entire mag of dendrotoxin into his skull." Natasha had to admit. This girl was good. Almost reminded her of a younger version of herself. But, May soon distracted her from her reverie as she returned to the matter at hand. "What I need your help with is getting Skye back." She spoke, urgently. "What you don't realize is that Phil is hopelessly in love with her."

"Phil's in love with this girl?" Nat questioned. "What happened to the cellist?" She questioned, curiously.

"He died." May deadpanned, not wanting to waste any more time on the matter. "But, fortunately – for Coulson – Skye happens to return his feelings for her. She had only just told him as much when Thor showed up." Sighing heavily, May sank back down on to her mattress from where she'd previously been pacing the room as she spoke again. "After speaking with Coulson, last night, I discovered, we're on a time-crunch."

"What kind of deadline are we looking at?" Natasha asked, her voice all business.

"Skye swore to him that she'd be there when he gives birth to the twins." May replied, simply. "I know Skye. When she makes a promise, she moves Heaven and Earth to keep it." She mused, recalling the hacker's pit bull mentality. "I intend to do whatever I can to help her do just that."

Nodding, Natasha agreed. "I'll talk to Thor. He's in town visiting Jane Foster. I'll see what can be done to bring your girl back."

Relieved, May replied "Thank you, Agent Romanoff."

"For Phil Coulson?" Nat quipped, quirking an eyebrow playfully. "I'd do anything."

* * *

><p><em>Present Day<em>

* * *

><p>"Agent Romanoff." May greeted, curtly, escorting the assassin through The Bus. "<em>Please <em>tell me you have good news." The desperation in her voice may have been lost on the untrained ear. But anyone that knew the pilot the way that Romanoff did, heard it plain as day.

"Nothing would make me happier." The assassin confessed, sighing heavily. "Thor won't budge. Says his father still hasn't issued a formal verdict and – therefore – Skye can't be released."

"This is bullshit!" May growled out. "Everybody and his damn _brother _knows Skye only did what she had to do to protect Coulson – hell – any of us would have done the same, given the chance!"

"Agreed." Natasha replied, smirking murderously at the thought of all the things she'd have loved to do to the trickster.

Slumping down on to her bed, May replied "Coulson's due in eight weeks. … Jemma's already determined his is a high-risk pregnancy due to the combination of Asgardian and human DNA and place him on mandatory bed rest … Although, at this point, I don't think he has it left in him to even _want _to get out of bed, anymore." Releasing a heavy, guilt-ridden sigh, the pilot allowed herself to flop backwards onto the mattress and stare up at the ceiling before she spoke again. "He loses a little more of himself every day that Skye's gone."

Before Natasha could utter a word in response, both women snapped to Attention as a bright flash commanded their attention in the doorway. "Sif?" May greeted, curiously.

Shifting her gaze back and forth between the two women, the Asgardian warrior settled for addressing the stranger, directly. "I need to speak with Melinda May, privately."

Glancing over at the assassin, May knew she could trust her with whatever information Sif had for her. "Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of Agent Romanoff." She deadpanned, leaving no room for argument.

Acknowledging the pilot's wishes, Sif replied "Very well, then. … I have spoken with the one you call 'Skye' … She informs me that – when she killed Loki – she was acting in the defense of the Son of Coul." Sif began, recalling her discussion with Skye. "She tells me that Loki forced himself upon the Son of Coul and that the Son of Coul is now with child as a result of Loki's attacks."

"Coulson's eight months pregnant with twins, yes." May confirmed, hoping that this conversation would lead somewhere promising.

"That is why I've brought one of our healers with me." Sif explained, gesturing to the strange woman with her. "Healer Ernalynn will help me to ensure the Son of Coul and his children's safe passage to Asgard where he can testify in front of the All-Father directly – guaranteeing Ms. Skye's immediate return to Midgard."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" May replied, eager to put the whole mess behind them and bring Skye home.

"Let's go give Coulson the good news." Natasha added, excitedly.

* * *

><p>Asgard<p>

* * *

><p><em>I don't reach for the bottle of whiskey | (Straight on the rocks) | No, you won't see me poppin' the pills | (Po-po-po-poppin' the pills) | 'Cause if I want the pain to go away | In a second make it fade | You're the only thing that will | You're my medicine, medicine | M-m-medicine, medicine | M-m-medicine<em>

_You make it all better, better | You make me feel whole | You make it all better, better | You make me feel whole_

* * *

><p>Skye had been anxiously pacing around her cell, waiting for word from Sif about Coulson. She didn't know what, exactly, the warrior had up her sleeve. All she knew was that she needed it to work. If this didn't work … Well, she <em>really <em>didn't want to go there. That much was for sure. Finally, just as she thought she was about to _completely _lose her mind, Sif entered her cell. "Well?!" Skye greeted, frantically. "Did you see him?! Did you talk to Phil?!"

"Yes, I confirmed everything you told me." Sif replied, hoping to placate the young hacker. "And I enlisted the assistance of our finest healer to bring the Son of Coul to Asgard in order for him to testify in front of the All-Father directly." She elaborated, outlining the gist of her plan for the young Midgardian. "I believe, once he sees the condition the Son of Coul is in, he'll have no choice but to release you back to Midgard." She explained, confidently. "And, Healer Ernalynn has already confirmed that Loki was – in deed – the father of the twins carried by the Son of Coul."

"I just hope you're right." Skye replied, wishing she had the warrior's confidence. She just didn't want to get her hopes up until she saw Phil, for herself.

* * *

><p>"Father!" Thor boomed, approaching his father's throne in the castle. "The Son of Coul wishes to speak with you." He added, sliding a chair into place for Coulson to rest his tired back.<p>

Immediately noticing the agent's massively swollen abdomen, Odin was curious as to what the man had to say to him. "Son of Coul … What brings you to my court, this afternoon?" The All-Father asked, voice booming throughout the cavernous room.

"With all due respect, Sir …" Phil began, cradling his now very distinctly shaped 'baby bump' in his arms, as he fought to keep his voice respectful. "I understand that Skye is being accused of murdering your son, Loki." Taking the All-Father's silent nod as his cue to continue, Phil added "I'm here to tell you that Skye did not murder Loki in cold blood as you've accused her of."

"Did my son not die by Skye's hands?" Odin boomed, agitated by the Midgardian's implications.

"What I'm trying to tell you, Sir, is that Skye acted in my defense." Phil countered, steadfastly keeping his voice calm and respectful. "You see, your highness … When Loki and Skye fought … Loki had been holding me hostage for three days. During that time he raped – _hundreds. of times._" The agent elaborated, his voice and body trembling slightly at the memory. "He used the images of my team – my friends – and even the woman that I love to violate me in countless unspeakable ways. He may have hidden behind disguises, but, it was _him_!" Phil insisted. "A few months after my team – and Skye – brought me back home, I learned that I was pregnant as a result of those rapes." He finished, gesturing to his belly as proof. "Run whatever tests you like … These _are _Loki's children."

"Thor!" Odin boomed, commanding his son's attention. "Is this true?" He questioned, trusting his son to be straight with him.

"Healer Ernalynn has already confirmed the paternity of the children the Son of Coul carries." Thor replied, glancing at Phil apologetically. "They are – in deed – Loki's children."

Taking in all that he'd been presented with, Odin came to his decision. Stepping down from his throne, he moved to stand next to Coulson. Bending down on one knee, he looked Phil in the eye as he spoke warmly and sincerely. "Son of Coul … On behalf of my late son and the rest of our family … I am truly, deeply, sorry for all of the pain and suffering Loki caused you." Phil appreciated the pure honesty from the All-Father. The apology was nice. But, truthfully, all he wanted was Skye back in his arms where she belonged. "And, after taking into account all that you have told me … I find that Skye only ever acted with your safety and well-being in mind." Returning to his full height, Odin looked down to Phil as he spoke again. "She is free to go."

Relieved, Phil slowly struggled to regain his footing as he carefully rose from the chair. Smiling gratefully, he spoke to the All-Father. "Thank you … Sir … I can't tell you how much this means to me."

With a knowing smile set firmly in place, Odin turned to his son. "Thor … Please escort the Son of Coul to Ms. Skye's cell." Lowering his voice to a more playful tone, he added. "And, be sure to give her the good news."

* * *

><p>Just when she thought she'd actually rip her hair out, waiting for news from Coulson's meeting with Odin, Skye's face lit up the entire dungeon as she spotted Phil and Thor approaching her cell. "Oh my God!" She cried, quietly, so relieved to see Phil again after an entire month – <em>four <em>entire months for him – away. When Thor finally escorted Phil into her cell, she carefully threw her arms around him, drawing him as close to her as she could without harming the babies. "Is this really happening?!" She breathed, shakily, into the senior agent's ear.

Quietly crying through everything he'd been through since she'd been taken from him, Phil replied "Yes … Skye … This is real." As he spoke, Skye could hear the tears he was fighting in his voice.

"Skye." Thor interjected, gently, as the couple pulled apart to look at him. "The All-Father has found in your favor." He added, with a small apologetic smile on his face. "You're going home."

Quickly wiping the relieved tears from her eyes, she replied "Thank you." Sniffing lightly, she added "I know this can't be easy for you – I mean, Loki was your brother and I get that but-"

"There is no need to apologize." Thor replied, halting her apology the wave of his hand. "In truth, it is I who owe the two of you an apology. I am deeply sorry for all of the pain that Loki brought upon the two of you. Additionally, I am sorry for my own actions – I should have listened to you, Son of Coul."

"You had your orders." Phil replied, quietly, still fighting back the tears. "I can understand that."

"Nevertheless, this is a wrong that must be made right immediately." Thor replied, fighting his own misty eyes. "Which is why I will personally escort the two of you back to the bi-frost so that you may return to your friends." Just before they left the cell, he added one final afterthought. "And, to each other."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I tried to get back to the Thor we all know and love! In the meantime, please read and review!

~Skye Coulson


	13. I Hope You Dance

**The Wrong Side of Heaven**

**Disclaimer:  
><strong>You know the drill …

**Rating:  
><strong>K (this chapter)

**Genre:  
><strong>Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing:  
><strong>Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Leann Womack "I Hope You Dance"

I Hope You Dance

_I hope you never lose your sense of wonder | You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger | May you never take one single breath for granted | God forbid love ever leave you empty handed | I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean | Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens | Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance | And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance_

Thor had just arrived at The Bus with Phil and Skye in tow. "Once again, Son of Coul." The god of thunder spoke, his voice laden with guilt. "I am terribly sorry for all the pain my family – the All-Father, my brother _and _myself – has caused you. If there is ever _anything _I can do to make it up to you …" Thor trailed off, waiting for Phil to complete the thought.

Waving it off, dismissively, Phil replied "You've already done what I needed you to do." He replied, sincerely. "You let Skye go free. She's all I need." He elaborated, draping an arm over his beloved hacker's shoulders as her own slid around his lower back. "Right now, all I want is to go inside and relax." The senior agent finished as the trio reached the main entrance of The Bus's common area.

"That's weird." Skye muttered, noticing all the lights had been shut off. Flipping the switch, she – along with both Phil and Thor – very nearly jumped out of her skin when four familiar and five new faces jumped out of various hiding places around the room.

"SURPRISE!" The group shouted, in unison, while Skye regained her composure before helping Phil ease himself down onto the loveseat.

"What is all this?" Phil wondered, noting his entire team plus the Avengers all taking their seats around the room.

"Natasha told us all about everything you've been through, since you were taken." Bruce supplied, draping his arms over the shoulders of the red-headed assassin perched on the floor between his legs, before Tony injected his own two-cents.

"And, since _you _were taken." The billionaire supplied, gesturing to Skye with his drink-laden hand.

"So, we thought it was time you took the chance to sit back and relax while the people that love you take the time to celebrate you and the exciting new chapter you're beginning in your life." Jemma supplied, excitedly, passing Phil and Skye their drinks. "Oh, don't worry." She offered, dismissively, noting the senior agent's hesitant expression. "It's sparkling white grape juice." She explained, easing the father-to-be's concerns.

"Well, thank you all." Phil smiled, taking a sip from his drink before setting the glass down on the end table next to him. "I honestly don't know what to say."

Sensing that recent events might taint their opinion of him, Thor decided it best if he take his leave. "I'll just let you enjoy your gathering." The god spoke, regretfully, before turning to make an awkward exit.

"Hang on." Skye called, before Thor had even crossed the threshold out of the room. "Where do you think _you're _going?" She asked, playfully, gesturing for him to join the party. "This baby shower's celebrating the impending birth of your niece and nephew. You're not going anywhere." She elaborated, taking in the sight of the god's confused countenance.

Turning to Phil for confirmation that the father of his unborn niece and nephew actually wanted him there, he could only smile gratefully when Phil gestured for him to join them. "Skye's right, Thor." Phil smiled. "These children _are _your niece and nephew. You have every right to be here, and I – personally – love it if you would stay."

Touched by the gesture from his old friend, Thor settled himself into the armchair across the room. "Thank you, Son of Coul, for hospitality." Thor replied, gratefully, as Jemma passed him a drink, as well.

"Before we get this party started …" Tony Stark announced, in his usual grand fashion. "I'd just like to make a toast." He added. "Phil, I think I can safely speak for everyone when I say that … We can't even _begin _to imagine the hell you've been through and back to get to where you are now … But, what we do know … is that you are a truly good and decent man and that you will make one hell of a father." Tony began, speaking genuinely from his heart – touching even his assassin boyfriend as Clint Barton quickly wiped a tear from his eye, listening to his boyfriend's toast. "I know – for a _fact_ – that those babies could not ask for a better person to raise them. And, once again, I think I speak for everyone here when I say that we love you and wish you all the best in your new parenting adventures!"

"Here, here!" The entire group replied, in unison – some even drying their eyes – as they all took a sip of their drinks.

"That was beautiful, Mr. Stark." Jemma replied, still misty-eyed from the emotional speech.

"Mr. Stark was my father." Tony corrected, gently, swallowing his drink. "Call me Tony."

"Yes, well … Tony." Jemma corrected, blushing ever-so-slightly. "That was a truly moving toast."

"And, I could not have agreed with every word more." Skye replied, smiling lovingly at Phil as she draped her arm behind him over the top of the loveseat.

"That being said … Why don't we start with gifts?!" The bio-chemist replied, clasping her hands together, excitedly. "These are from me." She explained, passing Phil a small rectangular box wrapped in white paper printed with a zoo-themed pattern.

Accepting the proffered gift, Phil smiled as he tore the paper open to reveal a plain white clothing box. "Oooh, what do we have here?" He asked, playfully before opening the box. Inside, he found two matching outfits. One was a pink and white nurse uniform – a white scrub top with pink hearts and beige band-aids and a pink stethoscope printed over the surface and the initials A S-R C embroidered on the breast pocket and pink cotton pants with a matching hat. The other was a pastel mint green surgical scrub onesie with short sleeves and white long sleeves underneath, a black stethoscope printed around the neck and the initial embroidered on the breast pocket. Along with the surgical onesie, Phil also found a matching hat.

As Phil held the gifts up for the rest of the group to examine, Skye cooed over their cuteness. "Oh my _God_, Jemma!" The young hacktivist squealed. "Those are so cute, it should be illegal, I swear!"

"Aren't they?!" The bio-chemist cooed, excitedly. "I just couldn't resist when I saw them! I knew they'd be adorable on the twins!"

"That, they most certainly will!" Phil concurred. "But, you are _not _deciding my children's careers for them!" He warned, playfully.

"OH!" Skye interjected, suddenly. "Somebody should be keeping a list of who gave what!" She elaborated, rising from her seat to retrieve her tablet.

"I'd be happy to be of assistance." Thor offered, hoping the gesture would help to clear the air between himself, Skye and Phil.

"That'd be great, Thor, thanks!" Skye replied, lightly, reaching into the end table next to her and passing a pencil and legal pad over to the god. "Okay, so, that was from Jemma." She began, as Thor dictated the information. "Who's next?" She asked, excitedly.

"These are from me." Natasha replied, passing her gift around the group and down to Phil. Accepting the proffered gift, Phil tore open the plain pastel yellow paper to reveal another white box – similar to the one that had ensconced Jemma's gifts. Opening the box, Phil found two white kimono-style terrycloth bathrobes. One of the robes was lined with pink with a pink 'A' embroidered on the right shoulder while the other was lined with a pastel blue with a matching 'A' embroidered on the right shoulder. "A friend of mine specializes in custom made gifts." The red-headed assassin explained. "This was a new design she was playing around with and I asked her to include the monograms."

"They're beautiful, Natasha." Phil replied, sincerely. "Thank you!"

Thor made a note of the gift from Natasha Romanoff as Bruce spoke up, next. "Well, I suppose I'll go next." The physicist decided, handing his own gift over to Phil. These gifts were ensconced in plain pink bag lined with blue tissue paper. Inside the bag, Phil found a basket filled with two of each matching blue and pink receiving blankets, lined changing pads, cotton bodysuits, hats, terry burp pads, pacifiers, bee wrist rattles, and eight washcloths.

"Wow!" Phil remarked at the variety of gifts within the basket. "You really got a little bit of everything, here, didn't you, Dr. Banner?" The father-to-be smiled, playfully. "We got blankets, changing pads, clothes, burp cloths, pacifiers, rattles, washcloths … You name it!"

"Wow, that's really generous of you!" Skye added, equally impressed by the overflowing basket.

"Well, I wasn't entirely sure exactly what you needed …" Bruce confessed, gently rubbing Natasha's shoulders absently as he spoke. "So, I figured I'd cover all my bases." He offered, lightly. "Besides, when I found the twin gift set, I just couldn't help myself." He admitted, sheepishly.

"Well, thank you!" Phil added, warmly. "It really is very generous of you!" He added, as Thor noted the gift on the list for Thank You notes.

"This one's from me." Grant Ward offered, handing his gift over to Phil.

Accepting the pastel purple wrapped gift, Phil smiled as he tore the paper open to reveal another white box. Inside, Phil found two white body suits with drawings of a little baby girl and baby boy with the caption 'Twins – twice the fun' beneath the drawings. Holding the bodysuits up for all to see, Phil couldn't help laughing as he turned to face his specialist. "You would, Ward." Phil spoke, playfully.

"Hey, I just thought they were cute!" Ward replied, defensively, throwing his hands up in a feigned surrender.

"They're adorable!" Skye cooed, warmly. "Who knew Grant Ward had a soft side?!" She added, cheekily, grinning at Ward like the Cheshire Cat while Thor marked the gifts down on the list. "All right, then … Who's next?" She asked, excitedly.

"This one's from me." Melinda spoke up, setting a rather large box – wrapped in lavender paper with little ducklings printed all over it – on the floor at Phil's feet.

Unwrapping the paper, Phil popped the cardboard box, inside, open to reveal a small, red wagon filled with gifts. "Oh, wow!" Phil remarked, turning to Skye. "I might need your help with this one." He grinned as Skye knelt on the floor, next to the box as she lifted the wagon out of its hiding place.

"Holy crap, May!" The young hacker cried, surprised. "You _really _outdid, yourself, didn't you?!"

"I wanted it to be special." The pilot offered, cryptically, her stoic face hidden behind her drink.

"Well mission _definitely _accomplished!" The hacktivist replied, approvingly.

"I'll say so." Phil added, sorting through the various gifts in the wagon. In the set, he'd found two sets of onesies. One set spelled out 'Love' when placed side-by-side. The other spelled 'Twin'. He'd also found two pairs of booties in pink and blue, two hats and two teddy bears. "Melinda, this really is too much."

"Nonsense, Phil." Melinda countered, her voice uncharacteristically playful. "You and your children deserve the best." She reasoned, simply.

"I second that." Skye smiled, placing a light kiss on the senior agent's cheek – eliciting a rather adorable blush on his face – as Thor just chuckled lightly while marking down the pilot's gift.

"I'll go next!" Steve Rogers volunteered, excitedly, as he handed Phil a blue bag filled with pink paper. Pulling the tissue paper away, Phil extracted a small blue bucket from the bag. Inside, he found two interlock white hat and gown sets – with blue and pink lettering – with 'Twin' printed across the hat and 'Two-riffic' printed on the onesie with blue lettering while the pink-lettered onesie bore the word 'Twincess'. Inside the pail, he also found two over the head bibs – pink and blue. The pink bib bore the word 'Twincess' while the blue bib bore 'Two-riffic'.

Holding the gifts up for all to see, Phil turned to Steve as he spoke. "These are absolutely perfect, Captain, thank you!" Steve just smiled in return as the gifts were set aside in Phil's preparation for the next one while Thor made his notes on his list.

"This one's from me." Fitz spoke up, passing his gift over to his boss, mentor, and friend. Accepting the gift, Phil offered the engineer a grateful smile as he began to open simply wrapped box. Inside the small clothing box lay two terrycloth, hooded spa bathrobes. One was green with a yellow hood and shoulders decorated with magenta colored flower petals lining the front of the hood and a green belt around the waist. Flipping it over, in his hands, Phil smiled fondly as he read the name 'Andreya' embroidered across the back in elegant, pink lettering. Next, Phil found a yellow lion-themed hooded bath towel with the name 'Anders' embroidered across the back.

"They're wonderful." Phil cooed, gently, holding the gifts up for all to see.

"Oh my God, Fitz, those are too perfect!" Skye squealed, admiring the adorable gifts.

"Thank you!" Phil finished, setting the gifts aside while Thor continued to make notes on the gift list.

"You're quite welcome, sir." Fitz replied, smiling warmly.

"I'll go next!" Barton spoke, next, crossing the room to hand Phil his gift.

"Really?" Phil quipped, quirking an eye up at the archer when he'd noticed the Avengers wrapping paper.

"Just open it!" Clint grumbled, returning to his place next to Tony as Phil chuckled while opening his gift. Inside, Phil found two outfits. One was a pink bodysuit with a jeweled locket necklace printed around the collar and a pink tutu around the waist, along side matching booties and a tiara cloth headband. The other was a camouflage onesie with tall beige boots on either leg.

"Wow." Phil grinned passing the gifts around for all to see. "You really outdid yourself, Barton." He teased, watching the archer attempt to hide his blush.

"Seriously, though, those are _perfect_!" Skye cooed. "I think we all know Andreya's _definitely _gonna be daddy's little princess and Anders will _absolutely _be rough and tumble, like Phil." She elaborated, smiling warmly at Phil before turning back to the assassin. "So, thank you, Agent Barton!" Just then, the hacker rose from her seat. "I'll be right back. My gift is in my bunk." She spoke excusing herself as she took in the direction of her bunk.

"I like her." Tony mused, thoughtfully, once the hacktivist was securely out of earshot.

Turning to the billionaire, curiously, Phil replied "Excuse me?"

Drawing another sip from his drink, Tony repeated himself. "I like her." Taking in Phil's confused countenance, he elaborated. "She's sharp … Clever … _Love _her sense of humor … But, she also cares – a lot. I can see how much she loves you – not to mention everything May and Nat told us about the two of you … Everything she did for you … She's really _really _good for you, Phil." Tony clarified, offering his evaluation of Skye's affections toward his dear friend. "And, I think I can speak for all of us when I tell you … We could _not _be happier for you!"

"Here, here!" The rest of the group cheered, smiling warmly at Phil.

Phil couldn't believe everything that had happened, today. First, he'd managed to win back the freedom of the woman he loved – bringing her back home in time for the birth of his twins. But now, here he was, surrounded by all of his friends and the people he had grown to think of as family in a surprise baby shower. The sentiment of it all had Phil more than a little misty-eyed. Quickly wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, Phil replied – his quiet voice thick with emotion "Thank you, all." Sniffing softly, Phil attempted to compose himself as he spoke again. "I can't tell you how much all of this means to me."

"I said it before and I'll say it again." Bruce interjected, smiling warmly. "You deserve it."

"Here, here!" The rest of the group cheered, once more, raising their glasses in yet another toast.

"Hey!" Skye whined, playfully, returning the party. "No more toasts without me!" She added, flopping down on the loveseat, next to Phil. "Hey … Everything okay?" She asked, suddenly far more concerned than she had been moments ago.

"Yes." Phil replied, dismissively, with a warm smile. "Yes, of course. My hormones are just playing hell with my emotions."

Accepting the proffered explanation, Skye smiled gently as she handed Phil a small, square package wrapped in wrapping paper covered in baby cherub angels with gold and white ribbons tied around it in a curled bow. "This one's from me." She offered, warmly.

"The wrapping's so beautiful, I almost don't want to ruin it." Phil teased, gently, before tearing the paper open to reveal a cardboard box. Popping the top of the box open, Phil moved the blue and pink tissue paper aside to reveal a stunning baby photo album with the cover finished in pewter with the names 'Anders' and 'Andreya' engraved on the front. "Skye, this is …" Phil breathed, in awe of the beautiful album in his hands. "It's breathtaking." He added, completing the thought.

"I wanted to get you something special." Skye shrugged, blushing slightly, at the compliment. "Something that would last for years to come … And preserve all the memories of our children's milestones."

"'Our'?" Phil repeated, breathlessly, not daring to believe his own ears.

"I know we never really had a chance to talk about it." The hacker conceded, quietly. "And, I know I have no genetic claim to those babies." She added, smiling gently as she rested her hand over Phil's belly, lightly caressing the surface. "But, I also know how I feel." She added, shifting her gaze up to meet Phil's eyes. "I know that I love you more than anything in the world. And … I know that … I already love those children as if they were my own." She added, bearing her heart and soul on her sleeve – not even caring about the audience watching her. The words came from her heart and she felt that the senior agent needed to hear them.

Phil, for his part, was left dumbfounded. He knew Skye loved him – he'd never questioned that for a moment. And, he knew she loved his children. But, this was the first time he'd ever heard her refer to them as 'theirs' rather than 'his'. And, it was the single most exhilarating feeling he'd ever known. "Skye, I … I don't know what to say." He confessed, spellbound by his hacker's confession. Resting his hand over the one atop his belly, he laced their fingers together before looking straight into her doe eyes. "But, I know that I love you, too – more than you'll ever know. And, the moment you referred to these babies as 'ours' … I felt happier – in that moment – than I've eve known it was _possible _to feel."

Feeling the tears welling up in her eyes, Skye truly had no words for the incredible things Phil had just said about her. Instead, she opted to let her actions do the talking as she leaned over to place a chaste, gentle, kiss on the senior agent's lips – lingering just a moment longer than necessary – as they reveled in the various cheers and cat calls from their audience.

Clearing his throat, awkwardly, Tony spoke up. "And, of course, we've saved the best for last." Catching the playful glares thrown his way, the billionaire asked, defensively "What?!" Shaking it off, he continued on with his speech. "Anyway … If you'd like to follow me … I have something I'd like to show you."

"Where are you going with this, Mr. Stark?" Phil asked, suspiciously as Skye helped him to his feet.

"Why don't you come and see, Agent?" Tony asked, his eyes glimmering with anticipation as Phil and Skye followed him out of the room with the rest of the guests following behind them. The group soon came to a stop outside of Phil's bunk as Tony spoke again. "I couldn't exactly wrap it … So, I hid my gift in your bunk." He quipped, mischievously, before sliding the door open.

Stepping through the threshold, Phil noticed that there was a new door in his bunk he'd never noticed, before. Eying Tony suspiciously, the senior agent soon realized that the billionaire was giving nothing of his intentions away and finally decided to explore and get the answers he was seeking for himself. With Skye at his side, he crossed the bunk and carefully slid the door open. Once the entry way was cleared, Phil's jaw figuratively bounced off of the floor as he took in the sight before him. In the new, slightly smaller, addition to his bunk, he found a full nursery set up – with everything from top-of-the-line cribs which he suspected had been handcrafted by Tony, himself, to 3-D wall decals above each crib – spelling out each baby's name in glimmering metallic block letters to dressers and a closet and a changing table and even two rocking chairs – one next to each crib. All of the furniture looked to be custom made. Awestruck by the grand gesture, he turned to Stark who smiled proudly as the rest of the guests made their way to the nursery.

"You like it?" Tony asked, grinning wildly, knowing the answer.

"I … Tony, this is … Unbelievable." Phil breathed, unable to find the words to do justice to all that the billionaire had done for him and his babies. "You did all this?!"

"He worked 'round the clock, most days." Barton supplied, snaking an arm around the small of Tony's back. "You don't know how many nights I came this close to drugging him and hauling his ass to bed." He quipped, playfully, earning hearty laughs from all those around him. "But … I can't argue with results, Tony. This is all truly amazing!"

"We can't even _begin _to thank you enough!" Skye replied, staring in awe at all of the elaborate nursery decorations.

"For the last time … You deserve it, Phil." Tony replied, crossing the room to drape an arm over the father-to-be's shoulder. "You and Skye and your children … You all deserve only the best. And, I mean that." He added, all joking aside.

"Thank you, Tony." Phil replied, voice thick with emotion, before turning to the rest of his guests. "Thank you, everybody. You've all really gone out of your ways to make me feel loved and I could _not _be more grateful for all that you've done." He announced, smiling warmly.

"This is truly remarkable, Mr. Stark." Jemma gushed, taking in all that Tony had done for Phil and his unborn children. "And, on that diabetic-coma-inducingly sweet note … Who's ready for some cake?" She offered, clasping her hands together, excitedly.

That offer was met with various cheers from the entire group as they all returned to the common area where Jemma served up portions of her famous marble cake with more of the sparkling white grape juice from earlier. The rest of the shower passed somewhat uneventfully as the group played various baby shower games – including identifying melted candy bars inside baby diapers – until the Avengers all left, later that evening. After saying their goodbyes, Coulson's team had all dispersed for the evening, finally granting Phil and Skye the one-on-one time they'd been sorely craving over the last several months. "That was really sweet what May and Romanoff did … Throwing you that shower, like that." Skye commented, returning to Phil's bunk dressed in her pajamas – a gray t-shirt and black shorts – as she slipped under the covers next to where Phil already lay waiting for her.

"Indeed, it was." Phil hummed, thoughtfully. Shifting to look Skye in the eye, he reached out to caress her face as he added "I'm just glad you were able to be there to share it with me." He whispered, softly. "It meant twice as much to me, knowing you were there to share in the joy with me."

Catching the hand on her cheek, Skye turned to kiss palm before she cradled it – almost reverently – as she spoke. "I know, Phil." She smiled, knowingly. "And, you have no idea how much I missed you while I was away. I was going crazy worrying about you and the babies – not even knowing if I was going to be able to keep my promise." She confessed, averting her gaze self-consciously.

"Hey." Phil interjected, gently, commanding Skye's full attention. "You're here, now. That's all that matters." He told her, staring straight into her eyes to drive his point home. "And, I know you'll be there when I have my babies." He added, his voice more sure than Skye could ever remember hearing it. "That's all I need."

"I love you so much." Skye replied. Smiling uncontrollably. "You know that, right?"

"I most certainly do." Phil smiled, cheekily, settling in closer to Skye as she splayed her hand protectivly over his 'bump' before settling in next to him. "And, you know I love you, correct?"

"Affirmative." Skye teased, grinning playfully as she reached over to turn out the lights. "Good night, Phil." She muttered, quietly, pressing a gentle kiss to the senior agent's cheek.

Pressing his own lips to the hacker's forehead, Phil settled in under the covers as he replied "Good night, Skye." That night, Phil knew he was in for his first decent night's sleep in four months.

**Author's Note:**

Well, I hope you all enjoyed this little installment. Please, don't forget to read and review!

~Skye Coulson


	14. (You're Gonna Be) Always Loved By Me

**The Wrong Side of Heaven**

**Disclaimer:  
><strong>You know the drill …

**Rating:  
><strong>T

**Genre:  
><strong>Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing:  
><strong>Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Reba McEntire "You're Gonna Be (Always Loved By Me)"  
>LeAnn Rimes "The Rose"<p>

* * *

><p><span>(You're Gonna Be) Always Loved By Me<span>

* * *

><p><em>6 lbs and 9 oz lookin' up at me | Like I have all the answers | I hope I have the ones you need | I've never really done this | Now, I know what 'scared' is<em>

_Sometimes, I'll protect you from everything that's wrong | Other times, I'll let you just find out on your own | But, that's when you'll be growin' | And, the whole time, I'll be knowin'_

_You're gonna fly with every dream you chase | You're gonna cry, but, know that that's okay | Sometimes, life's not fair, but, if you hang in there | You're gonna see that sometimes bad is good | We just have to believe things work out like they should | Life has no guarantees, but, always love by me | You're gonna be_

* * *

><p>Skye had just wrapped up a session with the punching bag – pulling the earbuds from her ears – when she felt a frantic tap on her shoulder. Whirling around to face Jemma Simmons, she smiled as she asked "Hey, Simmons! What can I do ya for?" However, before the young bio-chemist could respond, a sharp, pained cry rang through the entire Bus.<p>

"Yes, about that…" Jemma replied, nerves frayed from her encounter with their boss and mentor. "Did I mention that Agent Coulson's in labor?"

Without another word, both women were off and running toward the sound of the screams. Finally finding the source of the screams stretched out upon of his bed, Skye threw herself onto the mattress, positioning herself behind him with her arms wrapped around his body in a supportive gesture – positioning Coulson between her own legs.

"God, Skye…" Coulson half-whimpered, half-panted, as his chest heaved with pained breaths. "God…It hurts…It hurts so bad…"

"I know, honey." Skye cooed, wishing with all her heart that there were some way for her to trade places with the man that she loved. To have a chance to endure the pain of labor and childbirth for him … "I know it does. But, I'm here. I've got you."

"All right, Agent Coulson…" Jemma replied, strapping on her plastic gloves as she examined her boss, mentor, and friend's nether regions. _Never thought I'd see __**this **__much of Agent Coulson … _She thought to herself, off-handedly. "You're at ten centimeters." She observed from underneath the blanket covering the lower half of his body. "On the next contraction, I want you to start pushing."

"God…" The senior agent whimpered. "JUST GET 'EM OUTTA ME!" He screamed. However, Skye and Jemma both knew better than to take the comment seriously. _It's just the pain, talking._ Skye deduced. "Oh **GOD**…" Phil screamed, bearing down on his midsection as the pain of another contraction ripped through his entire body – nearly pulverizing poor Skye's hands in his own vice-grip. In the midst of it all, however, he was deeply grateful for Skye's support as she curled her body around his own as he attempted to push the babies out of his body. His energy spent, Phil felt himself back – limp – against Skye's chest.

* * *

><p><em>9 Hours Later<em>

* * *

><p>"All right…" Jemma declared, smiling wildly as she cradled the most beautiful little baby girl she could ever recall seeing in her arms, holding her up for Phil and Skye to see as she passed her off to Fitz to be cleaned up. "That's one beautiful little baby – Baby Girl Coulson – down … One more to go."<p>

"Andreya." Skye breathed, smiling uncontrollably as she watched Fitz carefully bathe the blood off of her daughter – the hell with semantics … Andreya Skye-Rose Coulson was her _daughter_ _… _forget 'step-daughter'.

"I already _had _a baby!" Phil snapped, enjoying a brief break in between contractions. "Leave me alone!" Just then, another contraction ripped through his entire body as he howled in pain – Skye's arms tightening around him as he crushed Skye's hands in his own, once more.

* * *

><p><em>9 Hours Later<em>

* * *

><p>"We're nearly there, Agent Coulson." Jemma smiled, warmly, popping her head up from underneath the blanket, once more. "Just one more good strong push and little Anders Garrison will be joining the world."<p>

"Come on, Phil." Skye added, gently, cradling Phil against her chest as she did so. "You got this. You're so close. One more push and, you're home free."

"Easy for you to say!" Phil huffed. "Remind me, again. Which one of us has currently spent the last **eighteen **_**hours **_in active labor – giving birth half-human, half-**god** twins?!" The senior agent snapped before howling in pain, once more, as yet another contraction ripped through his body. As Skye's arms tightened around him, once more, as he clenched his hands around hers as he bore down, one final time.

"Come on, Phil." Skye whispered, gently – encouragingly – in the agent's ear. "That's it…Just a little more…Almost there…" She cooed, gently, as Phil growled in pain, giving everything he had in one last, strong, push.

Skye's words of encouragement and her firm, supportive, embrace were the only things keeping Phil going at that point. Up until then, Phil Coulson had never known it could be possible to be so completely, utterly, physically and mentally exhausted. He honestly didn't even know how he'd kept going at this for eighteen hours straight. Every muscle in his body was either on fire or completely numb. But, he knew he had to do this. For his children. Conjuring up a mental image of holding his son and daughter in his arms for the first time, Phil focused on that as he rode out the final push.

"All right!" Jemma spoke, excitedly. "We have a head…We have shoulders…" She added, cradling the newborn in her hands ever-so-tenderly, as she allowed his body to slide into her waiting grasp as Phil fell back, against Skye's chest – collapsing, exhausted and completely spent, into her arms which encircled him in warm comfort and support. Cradling the newborn infant in her arms, the bio-chemist rose to her feet for Phil and Skye to see him as she passed him off to Fitz to be cleaned. "And, here we have a rather dashing Mr. Anders Garrison Coulson." The science officer squealed, excitedly.

"We did it…" Coulson breathed, staring up at Skye, smiling tiredly.

"No, Phil…" Skye replied, staring down at the exhausted man in her arms, proudly. "_You_ did it." She corrected, gently.

"I couldn't have done it without you." Phil replied, honestly.

"Sure, you could have." Skye replied, chuckling lightly. "It just wouldn't have been half as much fun."

Before Phil could respond, Leo and Jemma had returned with his twins in their arms. "Agent Coulson…" Jemma began, smiling uncontrollably.

"Skye…" Leo added, smiling as little Anders Coulson wrapped his entire hand around the tip of his index finger.

"I present to you…Mr. Anders Garrison Coulson … And, Ms. Andreya Skye-Rose Coulson!" Jemma replied, gently tucking Andreya into Skye's arms while Leo tucked Anders into Phil's waiting arms.

"He's … he's perfect." Phil cooed, cradling his son in his arms.

"She's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life." Skye breathed, awestruck by the perfect little newborn in her arms. She already felt herself falling in love with the tiny little infant cradled against her chest. Glancing over at Phil, she knew he was equally in love with his son.

A moment later, there was a knock on the door to the bunk followed by Ward's voice permeating the barrier. "Can we come in, yet?! We're dyin' out here!" He cried out, excitedly.

Sliding the door open, Jemma smiled as the specialist and the pilot bounded into the room, excitedly. "Everybody … I'd like you to meet Andreya Skye-Rose Coulson." Skye smiled, uncontrollably, looking down at the picture-perfect little newborn in her arms.

"And, this little guy …" Phil smiled, captivated by his son's face. " … is Anders Garrison Coulson." He finished his thought, mesmerized by the way Anders wrapped his entire hand around Phil's fingertip.

"They're beautiful, Phil." May smiled, stroking Andreya's cheek as the infant settled into Skye's chest.

"They really are, Coulson." Ward concurred, staring into the eyes of Anders Coulson, sleeping peacefully in his father's arms.

* * *

><p><em>Later that evening<em>

* * *

><p>Per Skye and Jemma's insistence, Phil had spent the rest of the day on bed rest while the rest of his team worked in shifts helping Skye tend to the twins. While he cherished every second he spent with his children, he did appreciate the opportunity to rest after the exhausting eighteen hours he'd spent in labor. Finally, though, Skye had joined him – ready to turn in for the night. They'd only been asleep, however, for a couple of hours when they heard crying sounding from the custom designed and built HD video baby monitor Stark had included with his dream nursery baby shower gift.<p>

Feeling Phil shifting in the sheets, next to her, Skye reached around behind her to halt his movements. "I got it." She insisted, her voice husky with sleep, as she pulled the blankets back before sitting up – sliding her feet into her slippers and wrapping her robe around her back and tying the waist as she rose from the bed, crossing over into the near-by nursery.

Entering the nursery, Skye found Andreya squirming and fussing from inside her crib. Stealing a glance across the room into Anders' crib, she couldn't resist grinning slightly at the baby boy still sound asleep – completely unfazed by his sister's crying. Scooping the fussy baby into her arms, she crossed the room to fix her bottle. "You hungry, little Rey-Rey?" She cooed, gently, smiling down at the newborn cradled against her chest.

Meanwhile, back in the main bunk, curiosity had gotten the better of Phil Coulson as he'd rolled over to pick up the baby monitor – visually checking on his girlfriend and his children – smiling as he watched Skye tending to Andreya. _She really is great with them._ Phil thought to himself, though, he really wasn't that surprised. He'd known – in his heart – that Skye would be a great mother to his children.

After Andreya'd finished her bottle, Skye was confused as she still remained as fussy as she had been before her bottle. "Well … I know you're not hungry." The hacker reasoned, quietly. "And, you don't need a diaper change." She added, taking a quick sniff of her daughter's backside. "Are you just a little cranky?" She cooed, smiling as Andreya clung to her fingers even in the midst of her fit. "Well, I know what will make you feel better." Skye declared, slipping her free hand out of the grasp of the infant in her arms to reach into the pocket of her robe – pulling out her iPod. Inserting the iPod into the dock on the stereo on the dresser, Skye pressed 'play' as a soft, pianistic melody began to play.

* * *

><p>"<em>Some say love … it is a river<br>That drowns the tender reed  
>Some say love … it is a razor<br>That leads … your soul to bleed  
>Some say love … it is a hunger<br>An endless aching need  
>I say love … it is a flower<br>And, you … its only seed"_

* * *

><p>Phil couldn't help feeling a little misty-eyed as he watched Skye singing her lullaby to their daughter. The soft, melodious voice escaping the hacker's lips touched the senior agent's soul as he continued to watch the scene unfold on his baby monitor.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Its the heart … afraid of breaking<br>That never … learns to dance  
>It's the dream … afraid of waking<br>That never … takes the chance  
><em>_It's the one … who won't be taken  
><em>_That never … learns to give  
><em>_And, the soul … afraid of dying  
><em>_That never … learns to live"_

* * *

><p>Watching the newborn calming in her arms, Skye continued to sing her lullaby as she silently hoped and prayed that – even as young as Andreya was – she could somehow absorb the meaning and the message behind the lyrics Skye sang to her. This song personified everything Phil and Skye wanted for their children throughout the twins' lives. They wanted them to grow up strong enough to take the chances to get everything they wanted in life – romantically, professionally, and in all other aspects of life.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>And, the night … has been too lonely<br>And, the road … has been too long  
>And, you think … that love is only<br>For the lucky … And, the strong  
>Just remember … in the winter<br>Far beneath … the bitter snow  
>Lies the seed … that with the sun's love<br>__In the spring … becomes the rose"_

* * *

><p>As he watched Skye settle Andreya back into her crib with a quick kiss to her forehead, after finishing her lullaby, Phil quickly replaced the monitor back on the nightstand as he laid back – trying desperately to dry his eyes – so that Skye would never have to know that he'd been watching her. "Is everything okay?" <em>Damn it.<em> Coulson thought to himself, silently, cursing himself as he heard Skye's soft voice whisper to him. _Busted._ Rolling over, onto his side, he decided to just face the music.

"Everything's perfect." The senior agent replied, honestly, smiling warmly at the young woman that had run away with his heart.

"I saw the tears, Phil." Skye replied, not messing around. "Are you sure everything's okay?" She asked, again, hoping to get to the bottom of whatever was bothering Phil so that they could deal with it and never have to worry about it, again.

"Really." Phil insisted, gently, caressing Skye's cheek, tenderly. "Everything is fine … I just saw you singing to Andreya. It was beautiful." He elaborated, smiling warmly. "I don't know if the tears were just left-over hormones or if it was just the sentiment … But, I assure you … Things could _not _be better."

"I love you, so much, Phil." Skye replied, smiling softly, as she caught the hand on her cheek in her own – cradling it as if it were sacred. "And, I love Anders and Andreya. That song … That was just … all the things that I want for them." She explained, bringing a tear to her own eye.

Gently wiping Skye's tears with his thumb, Phil smiled as he replied "I know, honey … I want the same things for them."

Chuckling lightly, Skye smiled as she lay back while Phil settled into her arms – with his head on her chest – as her arms encircled him, protectively. "It's late. And, you need your sleep." Skye chided, gently.

Releasing a deep, contented, sigh, Phil replied "Mmm … So do you."

Grinning, Skye simply tapped Phil, lightly, on the back of the head as she replied "Good night, _Phillip_."

The young hacker felt Phi's chuckles vibrate against her chest as he spoke. "Good night, Skye. … I love you."

Smiling warmly, Skye gently carded her fingers through Phil's hair as she spoke. "I love you, too, Phil."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<br>**I hope you all enjoyed this little installment. I know a lot of you have been anticipating the birth of the twins. I hope this chapter did not disappoint. As always, don't forget to read and review!

~Skye Coulson


	15. Hiatus

Just to let everybody know … I've currently got a lot on my plate, right now. I'm getting married in 11 days … My fiance & I are going to be moving to Nevada a week after the wedding … And, my mother is currently on life support in CICU (Coronary Intensive Care). So, I'm not going to get a lot of time to work on any of my stories – probably until after the wedding and the move. I'll try to get some work in but no promises. I an so sorry to anybody who was looking forward to any updates. I will try to update my stories as soon as possible.

~ Skye Coulson


End file.
